Budget Decreases in Colts Neck Schools; Residents See One Percent Increase

Colts Neck school administrators may have done what seemed impossible to surrounding towns: they lowered the budget.

But while the budget has decreased $229,176 since 2012, residents will see a one percent increase to the tax rate.

Business Administrator John Paredes said the increase is a combination of decreased enrollment and decreased assessed value in the township as well as and enhancements to the educational programs.

"If all things were equal, the tax rate would automatically have increased due to having a lower tax base," Paredes said. "[The district's] contribution to the overall one percent increase is less than a third of that percent."

Colts Neck schools will see improvements in the 2013-14 school year, including mathematics and science enrichment for elementary students as well as an expanded world language department.

Six part-time security personnel positions were also created under the new budget, as well as a full-time and tuition-free kindergarten program (information on the district website.)

But with all the additions, how can the administration have come up with a budget full of subtraction?

Paredes said the district will save five percent on its health care costs, after a competitive bidding process brought down the cost from its current provider.