SOUTH RIVER – The Board of Education has adopted a $37.3 million budget that will support the operation of the South River Public Schools during the 2019-20 school year.
The district’s budget for the 2018-19 school year was $35.1 million, according to Business Administrator Kenneth Kokoszka.
According to the board, this year’s money-saving initiatives include agreements with other school districts and municipalities through the Middlesex County Cooperative Pricing System for supplies, maintenance and equipment; exploration of revenue sources; a reduction in special education costs; and Educational Services Commission of New Jersey cost savings programs for natural gas, transportation and entering into a shared service agreement with the borough.Â
In 2018-19, the board collected a local tax levy of $17.47 million from South River’s residential and commercial property owners to support the the school district.
In 2019-20, the tax levy to be collected from the borough’s residential and commercial property owners will be $17.77 million, according to the budget document.
The school district’s total budget has increased $2.2 million from 2018-19 to 2019-20 and the tax levy has increased $300,000 from 2018-19 to 2019-20.
In 2018-19, the school tax rate was $4.25 per $100 of assessed valuation. The average home in the borough was assessed at $81,908 and the owner of that home paid $3,481 in school taxes.
In 2019-20, the school tax rate is projected to be $4.33 per $100 of assessed valuation. The average home in the borough is now assessed at $82,288 and the owner of that home will pay about $3,559 in school taxes.
School taxes are one item on a property owner’s total tax bill, which also includes South River municipal taxes and Middlesex County taxes.
An individual pays taxes based on the assessed value of his home and/or property and the tax rate that is set by each taxing entity.
Kokoszka said the district’s state aid will increase from $14.66 million in 2018-19 to $16.39 million in 2019-20. The board will use $1.55 million from surplus funds (savings) as revenue in the 2019-20 budget.
The budget appropriates $80,000 for security personnel, the South River High School vestibule project, a 911 inform and upgrade phone system, an upgrade to security camera software and an internal door lock replacement. Â
No school district staff members are being let go and all staff member positions are being filled, according to Kokoszka, who said six full-time and one part-time new staff members would be hired.
Contact Vashti Harris at vharris@newspapermediagroup.com.
