O.T. school budget calls for 2.5-cent tax increase PTA to host series of meetings to discuss school budget BY DANIEL HOWLEY Staff Writer OCEANTOWNSHIP- The Board of Education is asking voters to approve a school spending plan that calls for a 2.5-cent tax rate increase. The proposed $64.3million budget for the 2008-09 school year was approved by the board at itsMarch 18 meeting. The spending plan calls for residents to raise a tax levy of $50.8 million dollars, according to Board of Education Business Administrator Kenneth Jannarone. Voters will have an opportunity to vote on the spending plan on Election Day,April 15. Prior to election day, the Ocean Township ParentTeacherAssociationis expectedtohost a series of publicmeetings to discuss the budget. Themeetings are set to be held onApril 7 at theWayside SchoolAuditorium,April 8 at theOcean TownshipElementary SchoolCafeteria, and April 9 at the Township of Ocean Intermediate School Cafetorium. Ocean Township Superintendent of Schools Thomas Pagano will be on hand at each meeting to address questions from residents regarding the budget. The 2.5 cent tax rate increase will raise taxes from last year's $1.05 per $100 of assessed property value to $1.075 per $100 of assessed valuation. For the average township homeowner whose home is assessed at $445,000, taxes will go up $112 annually if the budget is approved at the polls next month. The proposed annual tax increase will bring the average homeowner's school taxes to $4,784 a year under the spending plan, according to Jannarone. Although taxes are going up, Jannarone said the district received a 2 percent increase in state aid to help offset what could have been a higher tax increase. The district is expected to receive a 2 percent increase in state aid, or approximately $9.97 million, Jannarone said. He explained that last year the district received approximately $9.77 million in state aid. "We did the best we could," Jannarone said. "The 2 percent increase in [state] aid helped." Themajority of the school budget comprises employee salaries and benefits, which makes up 79.5 percent of the district's general fund. Jannarone explained that the district is also adding a new child study team, which is expected to add $555,000 to the spending plan. The child study teamconsists of a learning disabilities teacher consultant, a psychologist and a social worker. Members of the study teamwillmeet with parents and staff to discuss specific children's needs in order to help the students reach their full learning potential, according to the district. The budget also calls for an increase in spending for technology staffing, equipment, security personnel and the purchase of new textbooks, which makes up $546,626 of the total spending plan. If the budget is defeated by the voters on Election Day, it will be turned over to the township council for further review. At that point, the council could choose to cut spending on the plan, or leave it intact. If the Board of Education finds the changes made by the board would too severely affect the district's operations, they can appeal the council's decision to the state Commissioner of Education. Also on Election Day, residents will be asked to cast their vote for three open seats on the Board of Education. Running for election this year are incumbent candidates Arthur Mahoney, of Oxford Drive; Janet Surmonte, of North Edgemere Drive; and JamesWagner, of LancasterDrive. The incumbents will be facing newcomer Lesley Dorsett, of Lockwood Place, in the election.