Fair Lawn School Taxes Decreasing Thanks To More State Aid

FAIR LAWN, NJ — Homeowners' school taxes will decreased slightly this year thanks to an additional $2.1 million in state aid.

The Board of Education approved July 27 the appropriation of the additional state aid it received July 13. The board voted 7-2 to give $1.2 million of the state aid to tax relief for the 2019-2020 school year.

It is estimated that this tax relief will save the average homeowner about $4 a month. The average home is valued at nearly $329,000. The increase could be about $6 or $7 if unallocated expenditures for the 2018-2019 budget are not spent.

The remaining $900,000 will be allocated for the following items:

• $300,000 to hire more teachers and paraprofessionals to address class sizes
• $328,840 in tuition for unanticipated enrollment and special student placements in 2018-2019. If those funds are not needed, the money will be rolled into the capital reserve for tax reduction to the 2019-2020 school year.
• $105,000 will be used to purchase two school buses with three-point seat belts, GPSs, and cameras, and retrofitting three existing buses with three-point seat belts, GPSs, and cameras; $10,000 will be used for music and band trips.
• $40,000 will be used to purchase and/or repair musical instruments
• $10,000 will be split up so every school can award a $1,000 grant for staff members who want to implement special programs beyond the normal curricula

Email daniel.hubbard@patch.com

(Image via Shutterstock, by Brian A Jackson)