Additional School Aid Will Not Be Used for Tax Relief this Year

An additional $318,946 in state aid for the Haddonfield school district will not be used for tax relief this year, the school board president said Thursday.

The borough had six days, until Tuesday of this week, to make a decision about using the money for tax relief this year. Board President Steve Weinstein said it wasn't enough time.

"The question requires a lot of input," Weinstein said. "There's a process by which the town and the county determines the tax rate. You don't just say 'Here's another $300,000, now go change the tax rate.' I'm not sure that the people in Trenton had really thought about it. It's a complicated process and not likely to take place in six days."

Weinstein said the board's finance committee is likely to explore recommendations for what to do with the additional state aid and make a recommendation to the board. The board's next meeting is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Aug. 18 at the Middle-Central school library.

Other options for the use of the additional money is for tax relief next year; other items in the coming school year; or for surplus. Once a decision is made, it must be approved by the county superintendent of schools, who is part of the state Department of Education.

Haddonfield will receive a total of $637,893 in state aid for the next school year. It received nothing last year.

Superintendent Richard Perry said the district is grateful for the additional funding.

"We have many needs," Perry said. "Whatever we use the money for I'd like it to have a continuing input on the district."

Haddonfield voters approved the $31.9 million school budget by a nearly 73-percent margin in April. The budget includes a 2-percent increase to Haddonfield taxpayers, the maximum allowed under a new state-mandated cap.

This means residents with a home valued at the borough average of $491,000 will pay an additional $140 in school taxes annually. The typical homeower paid $7,000 annually in school taxes last year. The new tax rate is $1.44 per $100 of assessed property value, a 2¢ increase.