Today’s Asbury Park Press reports that taxes in Rumson-Fair Haven high school district will drop overall next year as a result of a successful effort to shrink the budget.
Fair Haven homeowners, however, will see an increase in their contribution to the two-town district because of the way costs are apportioned under state law.
The Press reports that the $17.128 million budget represents a $345,918 spending decrease from the current school year.
From the article:
The decrease came despite increases in health insurance benefits and contractual salary increases.
“We’ve
done a lot of other cutting to pare it down,” said Donald McNeal, board
president. “We are not reducing programs, content or curriculum.”
increase in the regional school tax rate, from 31 cents to 34 cents per
$100 of assessed value, while Rumson taxpayers would see a slight
decrease from 35 cents to 31 cents per $100, said Peggy Netherly,
business administrator.
That rate doesn’t include municipal, local elementary school or county taxes.
The difference in tax rate is due to a state calculation based on student population and property value, officials said.
The
owner of the average home in Fair Haven valued at $542,400 would pay
$162 more for a regional school tax of $1,884, a 3 percent increase. In
Rumson, the owner of the average home assessed at $1,140,165 would see
a $114 decrease from last year and pay a regional school tax of $3,876.
The downturn in the economy is expected to show up in September’s enrollment as students who now attend private schools enroll at R-FH, the Press reports.
“I think we can absorb them conservatively,” Netherly told the newspaper.
