Red Bank Board of Ed. Approves Budget, Modest Tax Increase

Red Bank’s Board of Education approved its 2011-12 budget at its regular meeting Tuesday night and, despite a modest tax increase and program cuts, was able to avoid any staff layoffs.

The board approved the budget of just over $19 million, which includes a slight increase in state aid from the previous year, unanimously. The budget includes a $12.26 tax levy.

The budget is nearly a 1.9 percent increase over last year’s budget, staying within the state’s imposed 2-percent cap. The tax rate per $100 of assessed property value is $1.04. Residents with a home assessed at $405,522 – the average assessment in Red Bank – will pay an additional $40.38 in school taxes.

The tax increase is less than a penny.

To stay within the cap, the district was forced to make reductions in programs and staff. The district will eliminate two teaching positions at the middle school through attrition but will not have to let any teachers go.

The district’s budget also cuts some after school programs and delays building and grounds maintenance and purchasing new equipment for several of its school’s classes.

Superintendent Laura Morana said the cuts were not easy ones to make.

“Despite the fact that we are coming in below cap,” she said. “We’re still dealing with concrete and very real reductions.”

She did say, however, that the district has maintained a high level of educational integrity, despite the cuts, and continues to look at ways to develop partnerships to help fill the void created by budget shortfalls. Red Bank has utilized resources offered by the borough’s library to supplement its own library, and parks and recreation department to assist its athletics.

Some spending shortcuts come at the cost of building maintenance. Projects like reroofing the Primary School and replacing carpeting and flooring throughout the district have been put on hold, though they will all have to be addressed eventually, district Business Administrator Annie Darrow said.

“We’re being creative in the way we fund things,” she said. “Keeping our eyes out for (funding) opportunities.”

Included in the district’s budget is a $1.68 million transfer for Red Bank Charter School. Though the school is publically funded, the district does not have a say in how those funds are used.

Darrow also pointed out a recent report from the state that indicates the district might be shortchanged when it comes to its budget. At adequacy report indicates that the district’s budget should be $4.4 million higher.

At this point, though, that additional sum is little more than just a number on a piece of paper and Darrow does not expect changes to the district’s budget any time soon.

The tax levy will be included for public vote on the district’s April 27 ballot.