School Taxes Will Increase By About $180 in Kinnelon

Under the 2013-14 school budget unanimously adopted by the Kinnelon Public Schools Board of Education Thursday night, the average Kinnelon home will see taxes increase by about $180 over last year's school tax bill.

The 2013-14 school budget calls for $36,702,727 in total expenditures, an increase of about .7 percent over last year's $36,458,077 budget. The amount to be levied in taxes will increase by 2.2 percent, however, the district received a waiver from the state allowing the district budget to come in over the state-mandated 2 percent increase cap.

The increase figure of $180 is based on the average assessed Kinnelon home at $390,000 and, as Interim Superintendent of Schools Diane DiGiuseppe explained, Kinnelon's total assessed property valuation has decreased by .5 percent since last year, which does affect the tax burden. Still, DiGiuseppe proudly stated that the 2013-14 budget asks for a lower increase than in years past.

"We are at the lowest point that we've been in five years," she said.

The 2012-13 school budget called for the highest tax increase within the five-year period DiGiuseppe noted as part of her budget presentation Thursday night, calling for an average increase of $268.

DiGiuseppe said the Kinnelon district had much to be proud of from the past year and will be able to maintain many programs that contributed to the students' accomplishments. She noted the athletic achievements of the swim team and state championship-winning Colts football team, awards earned in music and more.

"Our athletic program is something to be reckoned with for a 680-student high school," DiGiuseppe said.

The district will continue pay-to-play for sports and some extra-curricular activities, which Business Administrator Jim Minkewicz said generates more than $100,000 that can be used in the budget.

Class sizes are also slated to remain intact under the 2013-14 budget, as well as Pearl R. Miller School activities, an area that was once cut during more difficult budget years. But one area designated to receive more funding this year is technology.

DiGiuseppe explained that the state standards call for more technology-based education becoming a priority in the not-so-distant future and said the district is planning ahead and allocating funds to bring the district up to speed after the technology line of previous budgets were cut from to make way for funding in other areas.

"We've cut our technology budget for several years in a row," she said.

DiGiuseppe said the district currently has a small Technology Department with two employees.

"The needs for technology are far outweighing the ability of these two guys," she said.

The district will look to upgrade its broadband capacity and expand technology education in grades K-12. Minkewicz said the district has planned to use a portion of returned money from E-RATE services to aid in the technology boost.

"We get money back every year so we're able to apply that money to our technology expenses," he said.

Minkewicz also noted several areas of efficiency for the district in the upcoming budget year, including through the Morris County Energy Initiative where solar planels were installed on the roofs of district buildings. Minkewicz said the district is anticipating a $10,000 savings next year from PRM as a result of the panels installed there, as well as an additional $10,000 savings in energy at Stonybrook School.

Correction: An earlier version of this article stated the tax increase to be 2.5 percent.