By Peter Elacqua
Staff Writer
MARLBORO – The Marlboro K-8 School District Board of Education has adopted a tentative budget for the 2017-18 school year that proposes a lower tax levy than the amount that was collected during the 2016-17 school year.
The 2017-18 budget totals $91.2 million and will be supported by a tax levy of $74.9 million to be paid by Marlboro’s residential and commercial property owners, according to the board.
The 2016-17 budget totaled $90.91 million and was supported by a tax levy of $75.12 million.
The budget was adopted during a meeting on March 7 in a 6-2 vote with board President Debbie Mattos, Vice President Stephen Shifrinson and board members Robert Daniel, Joanne Liu-Rudel, Robyn Wolfe and Ellen Xu voting yes.
Board members Dara Enny and Craig Marshall voted no. Board member Randy Heller was absent from the meeting.
Marshall said he voted no because he does not agree with the process the board takes regarding budget discussions.
Business Administrator Cindy Barr-Rague said the tax levy has decreased by $220,000 primarily because debt from 2011 has been paid off, debt service aid has increased and Marlboro’s ratables base has increased by more than $15 million.
Officials said the school district will receive $12.3 million in state aid in 2017-18 after receiving $11.65 million in state aid in 2016-17. The budget for the upcoming year will use $655,560 from the district’s surplus fund as revenue. There will be $784,000 remaining in surplus.
The K-8 school tax rate is projected to decrease from $1.048 per $100 of assessed valuation in 2016-17 to $1.044 per $100 of assessed valuation in 2017-18, according to Barr-Rague.
The average home assessment in Marlboro has decreased from $494,873 in 2016-17 to $494,179 in 2017-18.
The owner of a home that was assessed at the township average in 2016-17 paid about $5,185 in K-8 school taxes. The owner of a home that is assessed at the township average in 2017-18 will pay about $5,158 in K-8 school taxes if the budget the board introduced on March 7 is adopted following a public hearing in April.
The owner of a home that was assessed at $400,000 in 2016-17 paid $4,192 in K-8 school taxes. If that individual’s home is still assessed at $400,000 in 2017-18, the K-8 school taxes will be $4,176.
The owner of a home that was assessed at $600,000 in 2016-17 paid $6,288 in K-8 school taxes. If that individual’s home is still assessed at $600,000 in 2017-18, the K-8 school taxes will be $6,264.
School taxes are one item on a property owner’s tax bill, which also includes Monmouth County taxes, Marlboro municipal taxes, Freehold Regional High School District taxes, a fire district tax and other assessments.
Barr-Rague said administrators are anticipating an enrollment of 4,963 pupils in 2017-18. The current enrollment in the district is 4,979 pupils.
A public hearing on the budget has been scheduled for April 25. At that time residents may comment on or ask questions about the budget. Board members may then adopt the budget that was introduced on March 7.
