Average Washington Twp. Home Would See Tax Hike of About $32 Under Regional School Budget

The West Morris Regional High School Board of Education unanimously adopted its 2011-12 budget on Tuesday, March 22, and will now need approval from voters in five municipalities.

Jackie Schram of Mendham Borough, the board’s finance committee chair, made a presentation explaining the cost of the budget–a total of $47,631,191–with a total tax levy of $41,195,174, a 0.57 percent increase over the 2010-11 budget.

The board’s goal, according to Schram, was not just to stay below the 2-percent tax cap, but to make enough decreases in spending to “reflect our respect of the taxpayers.”

General appropriations in the budget decreased $22,043–a 0.05 percent drop–from 2010-11. The district Superintendent Anthony di Battista, Business Administrator Douglas Pechanec, and district support staff members have all taken a pay freeze as well.

The projected cost per pupil for the 2011-12 school year in the West Morris Regional district is $13,799. “As far as I can tell,” said Schram, “this is the highest number of students we’ve had in the district, and at the same time the lowest budget increase we’ve had.”

Schram also noted that the district has had a net revenue reduction of $1.8 million over the past two years. “[We’re allowed 2-percent] but we’re not going to do that to our taxpayers,” Schram said.

After a 2010-11 school year that saw the district eliminate 30 positions between the two schools, the coming school year would not see any personnel or co-curricular activities be cut.

“We are actually looking to hire four full time teachers between the two schools,” said di Battista. “The additional state aid we received will be used to help alleviate classroom size. When I asked each school principal what their specific needs were, I learned that Mendham was seeking a Chemistry teacher and Biology teacher; while Central was asking for a History teacher and English teacher.”

Mendham High School’s student body is projected to increase by 80 students–a 6 percent jump–while West Morris Central’s estimated student body will decrease by 22 students, or 1.5 percent.

Inside the numbers

Of the five municipalities, Washington Township, Chester Borough, Chester Township, Mendham Borough, and Mendham Township, two–Chester Borough and Mendham Borough–would see their annual tax payments decrease.

Washington Township’s average home value–the figure used to calculate school tax allocations–dropped from $438,600 in 2010 to $436,787 in 2011. The family living in that average home would have $2,317 of its annual property taxes appropriated to the regional high school district; a $32.49 increase from 2010, or 1.4 percent jump, with a tax rate of 0.53 percent.

Mendham Township, with an average home value of $914,184, would see the largest annual increase, with a rise of $116.39 in property taxes, or 2.6 percent jump, with a tax rate of 0.48 percent.

Chester Township, with an average home value of $671,769, would see an annual property tax increase of $107.16, or 3.1 percent jump–the highest percentage rise of all the municipalities–with a tax rate of 0.52 percent.

Chester Borough and Mendham Borough would both see decreases in their annual property taxes, with drops of $63.43 (3.9 percent decrease, tax rate of 0.35 percent) and $87.21 (2.6 percent decrease, tax rate of 0.47 percent) respectively.

A ‘Great Value’

Part of Schram’s presentation highlighted the academic achievements of the regional district, and noted that expectation levels remain high despite a minimal increase in spending.

West Morris Central SAT scores averaged 1666 in 2010, and Mendham High School averaged 1733 during the same year. The New Jersey average was 1506, with the national average at 1509.

According to Schram, Newsweek Magazine rated the West Morris Regional High School District number one in Morris County, and in the top 2 percent of overall achievement in the country.

The district’s students were also in the top 7 percent of HSPA testing nationally, and had 96.4 percent of its pupils pass the exam.

Voting for the new budget will take place on Wednesday, April 27 between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. In Washington Township, registered voters can fill out ballots at the Long Valley Middle School, the Washington Township Library, and Flocktown-Kossmann School.