Post by richardkelsey on Feb 27, 2008 8:38:26 GMT -5
newstranscript.gmnews.com/news/2008/0227/Front_Page/016.html
Board expects to introduce $19.6M budget for '08-09
FREEHOLD- The Freehold Borough Board of Education expects to introduce a budget for the 2008-09 school year when it meets at 7 p.m. March 3 at the Park Avenue Elementary School.
District administrators said on Feb. 25 that the total budget for 2008-09 is expected to be $19.6 million. That total is tentative at this point and includes the following categories: general fund, $16.7 million; special revenues, $2.1 million; and debt service, $795,000.
The 2007-08 budget totaled $17.4 million.
Administrators noted that the budget figures could be revised in the week leading up to the budget's introduction.
Property owners in Freehold Borough will be asked to pay a total of $7.8 million in property taxes toward the general fund and $636,198 toward the debt service fund, for a total property tax levy of $8.4 million.
The amount of school taxes an individual property owner pays is based on the assessment of his property. District administrators could not provide exact information this week on the impact of the 2008-09 budget on the K-8 tax rate.
Superintendent of Schools Elizabeth O'Connell said it is expected that a new curriculum in language arts literacy will be implemented during the 2008-09 school year. This will include new textbooks and instructional materials. She said the district has been unable to update this particular curriculum for some time.
O'Connell said that in 2008-09 she expects to be able to provide the borough's three principals with adequate funding for school supplies. She said this is another area that has been underfunded in recent years.
The superintendent said some preventative maintenance and school repairs that have been limited in recent years will be able to be completed during the 2008- 09 school year.
On March 20 at 7 p.m. at the Park Avenue Elementary School the school board will hold a public hearing on the 2008-09 budget. Residents and other interested individuals will be able to comment on the budget at that time, prior to the board's formal adoption of the spending plan.
Residents will be asked to approve the 2008-09 general fund tax levy in the April 15 school election. Residents do not vote on the debt service tax levy as that is money the district is obligated to pay back on previously approved construction projects.
O'Connell said administrators do not anticipate having to place a second (supplemental funding) question on the ballot in order to provide everything that is needed in the district's three schools - the Park Avenue Elementary School, the Freehold Learning Center elementary school and the Freehold Intermediate School.
Board expects to introduce $19.6M budget for '08-09
FREEHOLD- The Freehold Borough Board of Education expects to introduce a budget for the 2008-09 school year when it meets at 7 p.m. March 3 at the Park Avenue Elementary School.
District administrators said on Feb. 25 that the total budget for 2008-09 is expected to be $19.6 million. That total is tentative at this point and includes the following categories: general fund, $16.7 million; special revenues, $2.1 million; and debt service, $795,000.
The 2007-08 budget totaled $17.4 million.
Administrators noted that the budget figures could be revised in the week leading up to the budget's introduction.
Property owners in Freehold Borough will be asked to pay a total of $7.8 million in property taxes toward the general fund and $636,198 toward the debt service fund, for a total property tax levy of $8.4 million.
The amount of school taxes an individual property owner pays is based on the assessment of his property. District administrators could not provide exact information this week on the impact of the 2008-09 budget on the K-8 tax rate.
Superintendent of Schools Elizabeth O'Connell said it is expected that a new curriculum in language arts literacy will be implemented during the 2008-09 school year. This will include new textbooks and instructional materials. She said the district has been unable to update this particular curriculum for some time.
O'Connell said that in 2008-09 she expects to be able to provide the borough's three principals with adequate funding for school supplies. She said this is another area that has been underfunded in recent years.
The superintendent said some preventative maintenance and school repairs that have been limited in recent years will be able to be completed during the 2008- 09 school year.
On March 20 at 7 p.m. at the Park Avenue Elementary School the school board will hold a public hearing on the 2008-09 budget. Residents and other interested individuals will be able to comment on the budget at that time, prior to the board's formal adoption of the spending plan.
Residents will be asked to approve the 2008-09 general fund tax levy in the April 15 school election. Residents do not vote on the debt service tax levy as that is money the district is obligated to pay back on previously approved construction projects.
O'Connell said administrators do not anticipate having to place a second (supplemental funding) question on the ballot in order to provide everything that is needed in the district's three schools - the Park Avenue Elementary School, the Freehold Learning Center elementary school and the Freehold Intermediate School.