School Board Trims Tax Rate

The Board of Education voted to make technological improvements to several schools while also providing tax relief to East Brunswick residents on Monday, in an emergency meeting to determine how to spend the approximately .

The funding, initially denied by the state, was re-allocated late last week to townships throughout the state by the Christie Administration. But the townships had to submit to the government their plan for the funds’ allocation, such was the reason for Monday’s emergency meeting.

The board voted to use approximately $653,000 to provide tax breaks for local residents, while nearly $659,000 will be going toward several school improvements. In accordance with state law, $17,000 must also be allocated to local charter schools.

The tax rate decrease amounts to 3.32 cents per $100 of assessed value. So for a house assessed at $100,000, residents would receive a tax break of about $33.

. The 2011-2012 school spending plan carried a $108,924,563 tax levy and called for eliminating 25 teachers. The budget carried a school tax rate increase of 9.88 cents per $100 of assessed valuation. That means the owner of a home assessed at $100,000 would have paid $98.80 more in school taxes next year.

In regard to the improvements to the district’s public schools, school Superintendent JoAnn Magistro wanted to fix what she called “back burner” issues, or ones that had been ignored in the past.

“In looking at the projects we have been holding off, some came to our attention as being things that we really wanted to take a look at that need to be done,” Magistro said.

These projects include updating the chemistry labs at East Brunswick High School, installing WiFi access at the remaining schools throughout the district that still don’t have enough access points, and replacing an additional 200 computers throughout the district.

Other projects were proposed, including improving the ventilation systems at Chittick Elementary School and parts of Churchill Junior High School, but the first three projects were deemed more important.

“That was probably the hardest thing we had to do,” Magistro said of prioritizing the school improvement projects. “There are several things that need to get done, and while we have addressed some of our buildings, we still have buildings here that are 50 years old plus and have not had things done (to improve them).”

And while the Board could have elected to allocate 100 percent of the newly available funds towards school improvements, several members acknowledged that their board also has a responsibility to the residents of the community.

“This board has several responsibilities,” Board Member Vicki Becker said. “We have a responsibility to the taxpayers, we have a responsibility to the students, and to the district as a whole to make it a safe place to come to work and attend school.”