$110M budget ready for vote by residents
BY TOYNETT HALL Staff Writer

HOWELL - The Howell Board of Education has proposed a budget totaling $110.1 million for the 2008-09 school year. In the April 15 school election, residents will be asked to approve a local tax levy of $62.1 million to support the budget. Polls will be open from 3-9 p.m.

The total amount to be collected in local property taxes for school purposes in 2008-09 will be $69.6 million after adding in a $7.4 million debt service tax levy. Residents do not vote on the debt service tax levy.T

he district's budget for the 2007-08 school year totaled $108.6 million. According to information provided by the board, the 2008-09 budget is up 1.49 percent over the 2007-08 budget.

According to information provided by the board during the public hearing on the budget, the K-8 school tax rate is proposed to increase from 97.7 cents per $100 of assessed valuation to $1 per $100 of assessed valuation.

With a rate of 97.7 cents in place, the owner of a home assessed at $200,000 is paying about $1,954 in K-8 school taxes in 2007-08. With a rate of $1 in place, that amount would rise to $2,000 in 2008-09.

The owner of a home assessed at $350,000 (Howell's average assessment) is paying about $3,419 in K-8 school taxes in 2007-08. With a rate of $1 in place, that amount would rise to $3,500 in 2008-09.

The owner of a home assessed at $400,000 is paying about $3,908 in K-8 school taxes in 2007-08. With a rate of $1 in place, that amount would rise to $4,000 in 2008-09.

The owner of a home assessed at $500,000 is paying about $4,885 in K-8 school taxes in 2007-08. With a rate of $1 in place, that amount would rise to $5,000 in 2008-09.

The K-8 school tax is one portion of a property owner's overall tax bill. The tax bill also includes municipal taxes, Freehold Regional High School District taxes, Monmouth County taxes and several other assessments.

Howell School District administrators noted that appropriations for certain line items are subject to change. They said if voters reject the tax levy on April 15, cuts may be made to administrative positions in the district, courtesy busing, capital improvements, the middle school sports programs and co-curricular activities, summer programs, and technology programs, and could lead to the closing of a school.

Assistant Superintendent/Business Administrator Herbert Massa said if the tax levy is rejected by voters next week, the school budget will go to the Township Council to be reviewed for possible reductions.

Although school taxes have increased again, board Vice President Louis Corato noted that "defeated budgets do not significantly lower property taxes, but they can have a large negative impact on Howell's educational programs. If the budget goes down, taxes will still go up, it's just a matter of how much."

Administrators have chosen to include some capital improvements in the budget for 2008-09. These include stage curtains for the Newbury School; asphalt and concrete for certain projects; boiler burners for the Aldrich and Ramtown schools; a water heater at the Land O' Pines School; and five maintenance vehicles.

Other planned capital improvements were removed from the budget.

Resident Dan Harasty disagreed with the board's decision to defer some capital items.

"We need to have our buildings up and working. If you have a sudden failure in any one of these things, there could be huge ramifications," he said.

In addition to putting off capital improvements, board members also entertained the idea of cutting administrative staff in order to address the district's declining enrollment.

In addition, they have also considered outsourcing support services and consolidating the district's guidance, media and health services.

For example, the proposal for the 2008- 09 school year is for the 10 elementary schools to share four counselors instead of five. At the middle school level there would be two counselors each for Howell Middle School North and Howell Middle School South and one counselor for Howell Memorial Middle School.

According to board member RobertAntonaccio, "There is an opportunity for us to reorganize our staff. We have to try to do more with less. We need to do our due diligence as a board.We need a better balance."

One option that received consideration from a board subcommittee during the weeks leading up to the budget presentation was closing a school and reassigning the pupils to a different school or schools. As the 2008-09 budget stands now, all 13 schools will remain open in the coming year.

Board member Valerie Rosenberg has asked the board for a committee to be named to look at and possibly improve the district's fiscal position.