Boro school district proposes $10.8M 2007-08 budget WEST LONG BRANCH - Borough voters are being asked to approve a 2007-08 school spending plan that calls for increasing taxes by 3.41 cents per $100 of assessed valuation. The $10.8 million school district budget, which increased $298,406 over the 2006-07 budget of $10.5 million, was approved by the Board of Education at its March 27 meeting. For the average borough homeowner whose home is assessed at $473,200, the budget calls for an annual increase in taxes of $161 a year, for an estimated total of $3,281, according to School Business Administrator Dayton Faunce. Under the proposed spending plan, borough taxpayers will see an increase from last year's 65.93 cents per $100 of assessed value to 69.34 cents per $100 of assessed valuation. If approved by voters on April 17, taxpayers will be asked to raise a total tax levy of $8.5 million. Faunce explained that some increases in the budget are not within the district's control, such as salaries and benefits set by contract. "Salaries are the biggest portion of the budget," Faunce said, adding, "They call for 61 percent of the budget." Other increases include purchasing computers for the two schools in the district and renovations to the cafeteria at the Betty McElmon Elementary School. "We would like to replace the cafeteria," Faunce said, "And also replace some ceiling tiles and upgrade the lighting in the cafeteria." - Christine Varno