Page 4 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • April 1, 2009 FLOW Area Regional school district’s budget below state cap by Frank J. McMahon The Ramapo Indian Hills Regional High School District 2009-10 budget of $48,588,935 represents a 2.15 percent increase over last year’s adjusted budget of $47,564,769. The budget will be submitted to voters on April 21. The 2009 tax levy that is required to fund that budget is $43,175,387, an increase of $984,954 over last year’s tax levy, which represents a 2.33 percent increase, or 1.67 percent below the maximum cap on the tax levy that is permitted by state law. The district cut non-professional staff in non-instructional areas, according to Business Administrator Frank Ceurvels, and salaries did not rise as much as they might have due to staff attrition. The increase in insurance costs was held to 10 percent due to the change in insurance plans and the fact that this is the third year that new employees have joined the plan. Interim Superintendent August DePreker praised the district’s efforts to bring in a budget that is below the state mandated cap. “There was an intensive effort on the part of the school board, the Finance Committee, the administration, and the business office to put together a budget that reflects the times in the community,” he said. “We’re trying to do our best to continue to provide the best education for kids and at the same time do it in a way that is most cost effective.” If the budget is approved at the polls this month, the associated tax levy would increase the calendar year tax rate on a home in Franklin Lakes with the borough’s current average assessed value of $1,278,690 by just over eight tenths of a cent to 33.7 cents or $107 per year. In Oakland, the tax levy would increase the calendar year tax rate on a home with the average assessed value of $485,100 by just under eight tenths of a cent to 39 cents or $37 per year. The calendar year school tax rate in Wyckoff, where the average assessed value is $796,000, would be decreased by one tenth of a cent, which would result in a property tax decrease of $8. Franklin Lakes will pay 38.5 percent of the regional school taxes required to support the tax levy while providing 25.25 percent of the enrollment to the district’s two schools. Oakland will pay 23 percent of the taxes needed to support the budget and tax levy while sending 31.4 percent of the enrollment to the district’s two schools. Wyckoff will pay 38.4 percent of the taxes required to support the budget and tax levy while providing 43.3 percent of the total number of students attending the district’s two schools. The school tax affects each town in the district differently because the state formula which the district must use to apportion the district’s taxes to each town considers the assessed taxable value of each town and the number of students in the district from each town. The tax increase associated with the regional school district’s budget is one component of the total tax rates in (continued on page 14) Patricia’s Coiffures PERMS • COLORING SHAMPOO & SET CUTTING & BLOW DRYING Michael R. Marcus, C.P.A. Personal & Business Tax Preparation 851 Franklin Lakes Rd, Ste 30 Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417 Tel: (201) 560-0130 Fax: (201) 560-0019 Cell: (201) 803-5257 Email: MMarcusCPA@aol.com Evening & Weekend appointments available M.S. Taxation ��������� ������������ JR. 2 BR - �������������������� 201-488-5085 ������������������ Now Renting ��������������������������� Tues, Wed & Thurs 8 Godwin Plaza • 644 Godwin Ave.• Midland Park Tuesday-Saturday 9:00-4:30: Open Thursday Evenings ����������������������������������������������� ��������������������������������������� ������������������������� 201-652-9608 ������������������������� ee ���������������������� fr ������������������������������� ������������������� ���������������� ���������������������� 3-18-09 Janine AtlanticSteward6x6(2-25-09)