School tab includes tax hike

[cranbury news]

The need for more teachers, an increase in faculty salaries and benefits, and higher tuition costs for Princeton High School are considered in the Cranbury Board of Education's proposed budget.

The need for more teachers, an increase in faculty salaries and benefits, and higher tuition costs for Princeton High School could mean that taxpayers will be paying more for schools in 2006-2007.

The Board of Education on Tuesday presented an outline of the $14.7 million proposed spending plan. School Business Administrator Brian DeLucia said Wednesday the final budget will not be sent to the state until after the public hearing scheduled for March 28.

Under the preliminary plan, the school tax rate is expected to increase 7.72 cents, from $2.182 per $100 of assessed valuation to $2.259 for the 2006-2007 school year. If approved by the board in March and by voters during the April 18 school election, the owner of a house assessed at the township average of $225,000 would pay $5,082.75, $173.25 more than under the current school budget.

Despite major spending increases for salaries, employee benefits, transportation and outside tuition, the proposed budget is one-tenth of 1 percent — or $15,799 — larger than the 2005-2006 spending plan. The district decreased spending for capital projects for 2006-2007 by $1.3 million.

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