Shrewsbury, R.B. Reg'l school taxes to increase

LITTLE SILVER- The Red Bank Regional High School (RBRHS) Board of Education (BOE) is proposing a school budget that would increase the tax rate in Shrewsbury by approximately 6 cents per $100 of assessed value, the highest increase of the three municipalities that send their students to the school.

In total, the $23.5 million budget would bring the tax rate up from 43.23 cents to 48.94 cents per $100 of assessed value for Shrewsbury taxpayers.

On April 15, residents will vote on the budget, which also includes a minimal increase in the tax rate in Little Silver and a decrease in Red Bank.

"Shrewsbury had an increase in enrollment, [whereas] the other two [towns] had a decrease. The equalized value is a market value, and Shrewsbury had a greater difference between the market value and the assessed value," RBR Business Administrator Christina Galvao said.

According to Galvao, the state uses a calculation for regional school districts that is a combination of the equalized value for each of the towns and a percentage of the number of students attending the high school versus their elementary schools.

Overall enrollment is down at the school by about 20 students from last year, with Red Bank student enrollment down by 7 percent and Little Silver student enrollment down by 2 percent.

Shrewsbury students attending the school, which accounted for the only increase in student enrollment, went up by 6 percent.

A homeowner living in the average Shrewsbury home assessed at $398,967 would pay an additional $18.92 a month, or $227.56 more annually, if the budget is adopted.

The tax rate in Little Silver would also increase by 1 cent per $100 of assessed value, bringing the rate up from 41.5 cents to 42.69 per $100 of assessed value.

A homeowner living in the average Little Silver home assessed at $506,793 would pay an additional $5.07 a month, or $60.82 more annually, if the budget is adopted.

The proposed budget would decrease the tax rate in Red Bank by 0.5 cents per $100 of assessed value. The tax rate would decrease from 35.42 cents to 34.9 cents per $100 of assessed value.

A homeowner living in the average Red Bank home assessed at $400,627 would pay $1.70 less a month, or $20.33 less annually, if the school budget is adopted.

The tax levy, or the total amount of the district's budget to be raised by taxes, is about $17.3 million, of which Shrewsbury's share is about 23 percent or $3.97 million; Little Silver's is about 31 percent or $5.35 million; and Red Bank's is about 46 percent or $7.9 million.

The $17.3 million tax levy is a 4 percent increase from last year's tax levy, Galvao said.

In total, the 2008-09 RBR operating budget is a $1,479,013 increase from the 2007-08 budget, which called for $22,063,016.

"State aid increased by 2 percent this year after having been frozen for nearly five years. We also receive grants from the state and federal government to fund our special programs. Those coupled with fund balance utilized for tax relief have helped provide revenues to keep down the cost increase to our local taxpayers," according to an RBR 2008-09 proposed school budget fact sheet.

It continues, "While there were inescapable increases in utilities, insurance and health benefit costs as well as contractual obligations, every effort was made to minimize the overall tax impact to residents while maintaining the excellent academic programs for which RBR is known. This budget maintains funding for all current programs and staff, with an addition of several teaching positions as dictated by curriculum needs plus upgrades to our technology and facilities."

Instructional programs make up most of the operating budget at a cost of about $8.99 million, and equipment expenses call for the largest increase at 137.22 percent in the operating budget.

The equipment includes an increase for technology equipment and outdoor bleacher repairs.

Some highlights of the budget include the addition of a new Chinese language program and a part-time instructor shared with Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School; technology improvements that include updated servers, LCD projectors and laptop carts; establishing a maintenance reserve for unanticipated building repairs; addition of a part-time security guard; addition of a full-time math and part-time social studies and English teachers; addition of a part-time community relations specialist; and an increase in sharing services and purchasing cooperatives.

In addition to voting on the school district budget April 15, residents will also vote for four members of the nine-member school board for three three-year terms and one one-year term.

Incumbents John Garofalo, of Red Bank, and Frank A. Neary Jr., of Shrewsbury, and newcomer Lisa Gilmour, of Little Silver, are the three candidates for the three-year terms.

Gilmour, who has served previously on the Little Silver BOE, will be running for Peter Roskowinski's seat because he is not seeking re-election, Galvao said.

Michael Megill, of Little Silver, was appointed to fill an unexpired term and is now running to fill the remaining year on the one-year unexpired term, Galvao said.

One board member's spot that will not be voted on is that of 23-year BOE veteran Grace T. Costa.

Costa resigned April 3, too late to put the vacancy on the April 15 ballot, said Galvao.

"The board will advertise the vacancy within the next week and will accept résumés from Red Bank registered voters," said Galvao in an e-mail.

Costa, a retired Red Bank teacher, was one of five BOE representatives from Red Bank.

"We don't have time for our residents and voters to elect someone to fill her unexpired seat. There is not enough time to get her on the ballot. The law allows the board to interview citizens who are interested and appoint someone to fill the term," said RBR Superintendent of Schools Edward D. Westervelt.