Voters will have say on avg. $122 tax hike
BY MICHAEL ACKER
Staff Writer

SAYREVILLE - Voters will decide on a school budget that calls for a tax hike of $122 on the average borough home assessed at $143,000.

Superintendent of Schools Frank Alfano gave a presentation on the $68 million budget during the Board of Education's meeting Tuesday, noting that state aid went up by 5 percent this year, marking the first time in five years the board received an increase.

Salaries and benefits make up 73 percent of the budget, Alfano said, adding that with tuition costs they make up 80 percent of the budget.

The school district, which has roughly one staff member for every eight students, spends $8,891 per pupil. According to figures provided by the board, this is $2,737 below the state average of $11,628 per pupil.

The board kept full-day kindergarten in the budget, Alfano said, but courtesy busing for students in grades six through 12 will only be funded if a separate ballot question is approved. The question will provide busing for students at the middle school who live between 1.2 and 2 miles from the school, and high school students who live between 1.7 and 2.5 miles from the school.

The same question was asked on last year's ballot, and its defeat meant the loss of courtesy busing for the present school year. Many parents objected to the board's decision last year to remove courtesy busing from the budget.

If the busing is approved by voters Tuesday, it would mean a further tax increase of $19 for the average borough home.

Board President Michael Macagnone told the Suburban that while he opposed funding courtesy busing in the budget in light of the constraints facing the district, he said he supports the item as an additional tax levy.

"My expectation is that the budget will be passed and I also hope that courtesy busing is passed," Macagnone said. "I will be voting for courtesy busing. I just hope that my fellow residents come out there and vote their conscience. This is the lowest tax increase that I can remember."

The new reading series for students in kindergarten through third grade is a state-of-the-art program, Alfano said, and worth the $483,000 cost in the 2007-08 budget.

The Wilson School roof and school repointing project is the only capital project, and represents a $500,000 cost in this budget. The cost was split into two phases, Alfano said, with the other $500,000 worth of work expected in the following year's budget.

Because the board has had to wait on the Wilson School repointing project for so many years, the building's damage is worsening.

"The water is going right through the walls themselves," Alfano said.

Macagnone reiterated the significance of the school election and the vote on the budget.

"What is most important is that everyone goes out there and votes," Macagnone said.