When the school district presented its proposed budget to the governing bodies of West Windsor and Plainsboro, there was no dissent, and no challenge of the spending package by any of the administrators from either town. ##M:[more]##At the public hearing that followed that meeting on March 27, no resident addressed the budget.
Praise for the budget, described as “efficient” and “impressive” by town officials, was second only to support for possible legislation that would change the apportionment of school taxes between the towns. The split is currently determined by equalized assessed land values. If the public approves a special question on the Tuesday, April 17 school ballot, the tax split townships will be based on the number of pupils each sends.
The proposed 2007-’08 WW-P budget, at nearly $148 million, was approved by the school board unanimously, and is subject to approval by voters in both townships on April 17. The 4.3 percent budget increase translates to a 2.5 percent increase in taxes due to use of surplus from a previous year.
“This is the most non-controversial budget that I can imagine,” said 11-year school board member Stan Katz. “It is not surprising that no one spoke out against it. It is the best budget I’ve seen since I’ve been a member of the board.”
The budget calls for no cuts in programs, and allows for more teachers to be hired. The 4.3 percent increase was achieved despite a 4.8 percent, or over $2 million, increase in teacher salaries, a 4.9 percent, or $993,”401, increase in the cost of special education classes, and a 6.23 percent, or $350,”000, increase in student support services costs.
If the special question on apportionment gets a “yes” vote from a majority of voters in both towns, the change will go into effect in the 2009-’10 school year. If the split were to be changed this year, West Windsor would pay 58.4 percent of the budget, and Plainsboro would pay 41.6 percent. Under the current system, West Windsor pays 59.6 percent, and Plainsboro pays 40.4 percent.
The cause of West Windsor’s tax rate hike, and Plainsboro’s disporportionate drop, is the 2006 state-mandated revaluation of property in the township. Plainsboro went through a similar process in 2003, and its residents absorbed an increase of over 20 percent the following year.
