School
district calls for tax hike
Monday, March 26, 2007 • By Lynn Olanoff • The Express-Times The Warren Hills Regional School District proposed budget for 2007-08 includes an overall 2.5 percent tax hike. Tax hikes would vary between the district's four municipalities based on enrollment. Franklin Township, which would have the largest enrollment growth next year, will also see the largest tax increase of 10 percent. Taxes in Washington would increase 5.4 percent and Washington Township's taxes would climb 2.8 percent. Under the proposed spending plan Mansfield Township's taxes would decrease by 2.9 percent. The township's enrollment in the regional school district is expected to decrease from more than 31 percent to about 29.5 percent. Franklin's share of students in the school district is expected to jump from about 15 percent to 16 percent. Washington and Washington Township's enrollments would increase slightly. Oxford Township also sends students to the district's regional high and middle schools at the cost of $10,000 for each student. In all, the school district is proposing a $31.2 million budget, up about $1.3 million from last year. Local school taxes will increase only about $685,000, however, to $17.6 million. An increase in state aid and interest made up the difference between the budget increase and the tax increase, district Business Administrator Maureen Joyce said. The greatest area of increase in the budget is employee health benefits, which went from $4.5 million to almost $5.1 million. The budget will go to public referendum April 17. Reporter Lynn Olanoff can be reached at 908-475-8044 or by e-mail at lolanoff@express-times.com. © 2007 The Express-Times. Used by NJ.com with permission. |