High School Budget Brings Tax Drop for Washington Twp. Residents

Despite declining enrollment across the district, the overall budget for the West Morris Regional High School District will rise for the 2015-16 school year, but each of the five sending communities will feel that burden differently.

At its March board of education meeting, the district proposed a $51,854,780 spending plan for the coming school year, which brings a 2-percent tax levy increase over the current year’s budget. The 2-percent rise is the maximum allowed by New Jersey law before forcing a public vote on the expenditures. That increase is an actual dollar total of $816,084.

Inside West Morris Central and West Morris Mendham High Schools, however, enrollment is projected to decline by a total of 91 students next year, with 46 coming from Central and 45 coming from Mendham. Those figures put Central at 192 students under capacity, but keeps Mendham at approximately 23 students over capacity.

Factors included in the district’s reasoning for an increase in the budget include continued health care increases, and approximately $500,000 in special education funding because classification rates have increased, even with the declining enrollment.

By The Numbers

Because the district works on a household valuation formula to determine the tax rate, not each community resident pays the same to the regional district. Below is the sending community’s proposed tax rate, total tax payment for the coming year, and increase or decrease from the current year based on a $500,000 home valuation in that town.

• Chester Borough: $0.49, $2,464, +$536
• Chester Township: $0.55, $2,768, +$33
• Mendham Borough: $0.54, $2,675, +$130.50
• Mendham Township: $0.54, $2,724, +$119.50
• Washington Township: $0.52, $2,578, -$82.50

The budget’s sum comes with varying totals from the five towns, including:

• Chester Borough: $1,867,068
• Chester Township: $10,063,755
• Mendham Borough: $6,868,251
• Mendham Township: $10,221,853
• Washington Township: $14,463,608

The regional district received the same amount of state aid as it did for the current budget, in the amount of $4,425,501.

The major reason for Chester Borough’s hefty increase is the municipality’s revaluation in 2014, which sent home assessments soaring. Conversely, Washington Township’s assessed home values took a slight dip in 2014, according to the regional district.

The board approved the preliminary budget by a vote of 7-1, with Marcia Asdal absent and Brian Cavanaugh opposing.

The second reading of the budget and potential approval will come at the board’s April 27 meeting at Mendham High School, scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.

Subscribe to Long Valley Patch’s free daily newsletter for more local news, and breaking news alerts delivered to your inbox, by clicking here.