The West Windsor-Plainsboro School District has lowered the tax impact under its proposed $158.8 million 2011-’12 budget thanks to a $1.5 million increase in state aid.
The tax numbers decreased after the governor restored $1.5 million in aid, which represents some 20 percent of what the district lost when the governor cut $7.7 million in aid last year, officials said. The initial budget this year assumed no additional aid would be available.
The Board of Education voted to adopt an amended budget to account for the additional funds on March 8.The added state aid decreased the amount to be raised by taxes from the $149 million originally proposed last month to $147.4 million.
While the overall budget has increased by 1.9 percent ($2.9 million) over last year’s $155.9 million budget, the amount to be raised through taxation was originally projected to be nearly $149 million — an increase of $5.4 million, or 3.8 percent increase — over last year’s $143.5 million tax levy.
With the new tax levy of $147.4 million, the tax increase would instead be 2.7 percent.
Despite the reduction, board members Ellen Walsh and Todd Hochman continue to oppose the budget, citing its impact on taxpayers. They voted against the amendment, just as they voted against the budget as originally proposed.
The preliminary budget, with the amendment, was sent to the county superintendent by a vote of 7-2. A public hearing and adoption of the budget is scheduled for Tuesday, March 29.
During the budget presentation, Larry Shanok, assistant superintendent for finance, released more details about the budget, which represents a $2.9 million — or 1.9 percent — increase over last year’s $155.9 package.
The original budget projected an increase of 3.8 percent in the amount of taxes to be raised, to nearly $149 million. This number is well over the state-mandated 2 percent cap on property tax increases due to exemptions on certain expenditures.
When it comes to breaking down the tax burden, Plainsboro will have a greater increase in taxes this year.
In Plainsboro, taxpayers will pay nearly $58 million in support of the school budget — a 2.6 percent increase over last year’s $56.5 million tax levy. In West Windsor, the amount to be raised by taxation is $82 million, an increase of 2 percent over last year’s $80.4 million.
In his presentation, Shanok said the amount of taxes to be raised in both towns to support the “general fund” is $140 million — an increase of 2.3 percent over last year’s $136.9 million.
Meanwhile, Plainsboro taxpayers will see an 11.5 percent increase in the taxes they pay for debt service, an increase from $2.7 million to $3 million. West Windsor’s will increase by 10.9 percent, from $3.9 million to $4.3 million this year.
The total amount of taxes raised to pay debt service is $7.3 million, an increase of 11.2 percent over last year’s $6.6 million.
Overall, the general fund and debt service tax levies in this year’s budget total $147.4 million — an increase of 2.7 percent over last year.
This number did not sit well with Hochman, who said that while he was pleased the governor reinstated some of the state aid to offset the tax burden, 2.7 percent was still too much of an increase.
Walsh echoed the sentiment. Walsh’s husband, Quentin Walsh, also voiced his opposition to the tax increase (see Letters, page 6).
However, West Windsor resident Sara Spangler Campanella said she was in favor of the budget because she believed in maintaining a level of quality of education for the students. “I really don’t think we should shortchange our students,” who will be leaders in the future, she said.
