Wildwood School District Introduces Budget with Dip in Tax Rate

WILDWOOD — The school district’s 2009-10 budget comes with a school tax decrease of a fraction of a penny.
Last year the tax rate, which was 51.2 cents per $100 of assessed value, is expected to dip to exactly 51 cents under the proposed spending plan. The tax levy, the amount collected from property owners to support the budget, is expected to hold steady at $9,339,262.
Superintendent Dennis J. Anderson said this proposed budget was the third year in a row that Wildwood schools did not increase the tax levy.
Anderson said the district received some grants to pay for renovations and the money helped the district keep the tax levy down.
The district also saved by sharing personnel, taking part in purchasing cooperatives and bringing students back into the district rather than sending them to out-of-district placements, he said.
School Business Administrator Greg Rohrman said the district shares a variety of positions and services, such as a child study team with North Wildwood, a technology person with Wildwood Crest, and food and payroll services with North Wildwood and Wildwood Crest.
Both Anderson and Rohrman are also shared between Wildwood and Wildwood Crest.
While this budget does not include any new educational programs, Anderson said it does strengthens existing programs.
“We are committed to providing the best possible education for the children of Wildwood. We believe they deserve nothing less,” Anderson said.
A public hearing on the budget will be held 5:30 p.m. April 1 in the Wildwood High School cafeteria.