Point Pleasant Borough Schools Average Tax Hike of $91 Per Year Passed Unanimously

A school budget that will carry an average tax hike of $91 per year was passed unanimously at Monday night's Board of Education meeting at Ocean Road School.

"This budget does not cut any academic, extracurricular or performing arts programs," said borough Schools Superintendent Vincent Smith.

The public will have a chance to vote on the $29 million tax levy, as well as choose among five board candidates running for two, three-year board seats, on April 27.

The only resident to question the budget was Al Faraldi of Bay Isle Drive. Before the board voted, he asked why spending had gone up.

Board President John MacDermant said, "Health costs have gone up, salaries are up. It's just the cost of doing business."

MacDermant tried to refer further questions to board Administrator Steven Corso, who has historically taken the lead in budget preparation.

But Faraldi said, "I really want the board to answer the questions, because they're the ones voting on it."

After more of the same back and forth, longtime board Attorney Daniel Popovitch said to Faraldi, "The board does rely on its professionals. This is a public session, not a public grilling session."

Ultimately, Corso answered questions, giving a lot more detail than MacDermant.

Corso explained the difference between the total budget of about $37 million, the tax levy of about $29 million, the different methods of calculating the cost per pupil and other issues.

The public votes only on the tax levy, not the total budget.

The district's cost per pupil is $11,545, the lowest among K-12 districts in Ocean and Monmouth counties, according to district data.

When Faraldi asked if teachers who live outside the district can still have their children attend borough schools for free, Corso said that yes, the longstanding practice continues.

"That's because the state gives us state aid for those students," he said.

When Faraldi asked how many of those children attend borough schools, Smith said, "I don't have that information with me, but I will get it for you."

The proposed budget raises the local school tax rate of 90.89 cents per $100 assessed valuation by 2.43 cents, up to 93.32 cents per $100 of assessed value, Corso has said.

That increase means the owner of a home assessed at $375,000, which is the borough's average assessment, would pay another $91 in school taxes per year, according to information distributed by the school district at the meeting. 

The owner of a home assessed at $200,000 would pay an additional $49 per year. The owner of a home assessed at $300,000 would pay $73 more per year, according to the district.

Corso has said the district is receiving an increase of $356,074 compared to last year's state aid. However, the state also assessed the district $44,552 on capital improvement grants it had allocated in 1998 for additions at the two elementary schools.

So the net increase in state aid this year is $311,522, compared to last year. 

However, the state lowered aid to the district for the last school year by $1.9 million, so the increase of $311,522 is still a decrease of nearly $1.6 million compared to the 2008-09 school year, he noted.

Regarding the race for two board seats, incumbents MacDermant, Morris Avenue, and Regina Foley, Bayberry Avenue, are challenged by Tim Harrison, Cedar Street; James Barber, Middle Avenue; and Susan Ward, Riverwood Avenue.

Polls are open from 2 to 9 p. m. April 27. If the tax levy fails on April 27, it goes to Borough Council, which can leave it intact or cut it.

Municipal governing bodies are not permitted to add to the tax levy, according to Frank Belluscio, director of communications for the New Jersey School Boards Association.

 "If the municipality reduces the proposed school tax levy, it has to back up its decision by identifying specific expenditure reductions," Belluscio said. "The board is not bound to make those specific spending cuts, but it must operate within the tax levy that is determined by the municipality after its review.  The decision to restore a program or staff (an expenditure decision) belongs to the board, which must operate within its available revenue."