District introduces $28.2M budget
BY JENNA O'DONNELL Staff Writer

TINTON FALLS - The Tinton Falls Board of Education introduced a $28.2million tentative budget for 2008-09 that would increase the tax rates for both Tinton Falls and Shrewsbury if approved.

The budget, which represents a $800,000 increase over last year's school budget of $27.4 million, was introduced at the March 3 Board of Education workshop meeting.

A public hearing and adoption of the budget is scheduled to be held at 8 p.m. March 19 at theMahala F.Atchison School on Sycamore Avenue.

Under the proposed spending plan, taxes would go up in each of the two towns served by the Tinton Falls school district.

That means a house in Shrewsbury, according to the budget presentation given by Superintendent John Russo, could possibly see a rate of 6.7 cents per $100 of assessed valuation, and a $12.51 annual increase based on a home valued at $150,000.

Tinton Falls, which recently underwent a revaluation, might see a home assessed at $343,683, have a new tax rate of 6.4 cents per $100 of assessed valuation, and a $27.50 annual increase.

Russo's presentation explained that the new budget would include the addition of a paraprofessional, a nurse at Atchison School, a Latin teacher, and a librarymedia specialist.

Additionally, masonry repairs, bathroom renovations at the Swimming River School, and an intercom upgrade at Tinton Falls Middle School were items mentioned as part of the capital projects budget.

If the budget is approved, voters would decide upon a $17,580,444 tax levy inApril, coinciding with the school board elections.

Of the candidates up for re-election for the Tinton Falls Board of Education, all are incumbents except for two who hope to fill the one-year unexpired term of Michelle Slazyk.

Christina Warren, of Frontier Way, and Nicole Alfano, of Fire Stakes Drive, both hope to fill Slazyk's unexpired term for a Tinton Falls seat and are up for election on April 15.

The Tinton Falls School district has approximately 1,585 students attending three schools: Swimming River School,Mahala F. Atchison School and Tinton Falls Middle School.