Jamesburg board holds line on school taxes

JAMESBURG - In a day and age when steep school tax hikes are the norm in New Jersey, the borough's school district is looking at its second straight year without an increase.

The school tax rate actually dipped by 4 cents for the current school year, and now the Board of Education is proposing a stable rate for 2007-08. A public hearing on the $11.26 million budget is scheduled for tonight at 7:30 p.m. in the John F. Kennedy School library.

"We have a very effective board, which has managed to maintain the programs we have in the district without increasing taxes," board President Donald Peterson said.

The proposed budget is up by $387,175, or 3.6 percent, but the district is receiving $194,000 in additional state aid. Also, School Business Administrator Tom Reynolds noted, the district is receiving additional revenue from tax ratables.

The school tax rate is proposed to remain at $2.73 per $100 of assessed valuation, meaning the owner of property assessed at the borough average of $122,000 will continue paying $3,330 for the school tax portion of their property tax bill. That same resident was paying $49 more in school taxes prior to this school year.

The proposed budget does not include any cuts to staff or programs, but does call for the expansion of one position - a part-time computer technician would be changed to full time.

"That's something the board felt we needed to do, because there is a substantial amount of computer equipment in the district," Peterson said, noting that technological advances have made it more important that the computer technician be available at all times.

If residents approve the school budget April 17, the school district will become eligible for additional revenue from the state in the form Targeted At-Risk Aid (TARA). Peterson said the district can apply for the aid once the budget is passed, and would be eligible for $109,000.

The additional aid would be used to fund three positions, including a media specialist post that was cut a few years ago when the school district reduced its budget to lessen that year's tax increase. The TARA money would also be used for English as a second language and basic skills instructors, Peterson said.

Also on April 17, four candidates are seeking four available seats on the Board of Education this year.

These include three incumbents - Thomas Bodall, Patrice Faraone and Michael Tehan - who are seeking full three-year terms, and a fourth candidate, Ted Somers, who is running for a one-year unexpired term previously held by Frank Tarulli, who resigned.