Schools to Formally Approve Budget Wednesday

Of all the events going on in Hackettstown this week, one stands above the rest, and will take place at Hackettstown High School Wednesday night.

The Hackettstown Public School District will hold its regular meeting at 7 p.m. March 27 and is scheduled to formally adopt the 2013-14 school budget.

A tentative budget with a 1.8-percent tax levy increase was submitted to the county earlier this month, and includes a $14,809,950 spending amount to be paid for by commercial and residential taxes.

Hackettstown’s state aid increased 2.2-percent for the upcoming budget cycle, but the district, according to Business Administrator Teresa Barna, budgeted for just 75-percent of the federal aid it received last year.

Those figures have not been awarded yet, but due to a Congress-induced sequestration, New Jersey school districts were advised to expect less from the government in aid.

The meeting will be held at the Hackettstown High School library Wednesday, March 27 at 7 p.m. and is open to the public.