Ho-Ho-Kus March 25, 2009 THE VILLADOM TIMES III • Page 3 School board provides overview of $12 million budget by Jennifer Crusco The Ho-Ho-Kus Board of Education, accompanied by Superintendent Deborah Ferrara and Business Administrator James Davis, last week provided the borough council with an overview of the school’s proposed $12,235,927 budget for 2009-10. The district’s spending plan, which includes expenses for Ho-Ho-Kus students in grades K-12, carries a tax levy of $10,639,522. If the budget receives voters’ approval at the polls on April 21, that tax levy would result in a tax increase of $209 for the owner of a home assessed at $825,000. This figure is for the K-12 schools only, and does not include figures for the municipal purpose or Bergen County budgets. A budget summary that was provided to the press indicates that the tax increase for a home assessed at $825,000 would be $218. However, that increase is associated with the general fund. Because the amount that must be paid for debt service will decrease by $9 this year, the tax increase will drop accordingly. With the debt service savings, the increase for 2009-10 is 3.21 percent. School Board President Peter Terenzio told the council the board had worked to produce a fiscally responsible budget that is within the cap. He noted that the district works to keep special education students within the district, a strategy that benefits the children and provides savings in transportation costs. He added that the district continues to receive grants, and leases its facility to outside groups. He pointed out that the district engages in a host of shared service agreements, including the regionally unique shared use of the business administrator’s services with Northern Highlands High School, Ho-Ho-Kus’ receiving district. Davis explained that he is the only business administrator in northern New Jersey who is engaged in a shared arrangement. The district also shares the following: transportation with Saddle River, staff development and curriculum coordinator with the quad districts (Saddle River, Allendale, Ho-Ho-Kus, and Northern Highlands), AHERA training with Northern Highlands, gasoline and Reverse 911 with the borough, and North Field maintenance with Ho-HoKus Recreation. The district also belongs to consortia that cover areas including school supplies, commercial insurance, and special education. The larges expenditure increases include $360,327 for total salary and benefits, $65,940 for tuition (including Northern Highlands High School and out of district special education placements), $27,463 for transportation, and $41,769 for all other accounts. The total budget increase is $495,499. This year, when many districts will receive the same amount of state aid as last year, Ho-Ho-Kus will receive an (continued on page 19) ��� ���� ������� Offer expires 4/15/0 Call for details. 4 Weeks FREE! Get up to ���� ���� �������� 9. ���� ���� ��� ��� ����� ������� ������� ��� ������� ���� ����� �� ���� �������� ������ �� ����� ������� ���� ���� � ���� � �� ����� �� ���������� �� ������ ������ ������������ ee fr 3-18-09 Janine AtlanticSteward6x6(2-25-09)