LSBOE Lowers 2012-13 Tax Increase

approved the district's 2012-13 budget on March 29 but not before knocking a little bit off the proposed 1.9 percent increase.

At a public hearing last Thursday for the $11.95 million budget, attended by one member of the community, the board announced it had lowered the increase to 1.5 percent or $162,000 over the previous year. After various revenue and aid are removed from the equation, $10.675 million of the budget will be funded through property taxes.

The owner of an average assessed home in the borough of $501,856 will see a $66 annual increase to the local school portion of the tax bill, which comes out to $5.48 monthly.

School Business Administrator Amy Lerner said that the board could have increased the budget another $72,536 and still stayed within the state mandated 2-percent cap.

Board member Chris Smith pointed out that the 1.5 percent increase is the lowest the district has seen "in at least 10 years."

Little Silver School Superintendent Caroly Kossack said that the board was responding to concerns from the community about the tax impact of the recent full-day kindergarten referendum. While that project won't affect the district's tax rate, Kossack said that nonetheless, "The public expressed concerns about taxes."

"The community was speaking loudly," she said, "and we needed to be considerate of the tax levy."

Thanks to a mild winter, the district was able to realize a cost savings of lower-than-expected heating bills to offset the purchase of new rooftop air conditioning units ataccording to Lerner.

Referring to the recent elimination of the April budget vote for the district, Board President Kevin Smith said, "This is our way to show the taxpayers we take this no-vote thing seriously."

"It makes us even more responsible," said Brennan.