Schools

Salisbury School Board Adopts Preliminary Budget With Tax Increase

Property owners face tax increase between 1.4 percent and 3.5 percent

Faced with a $2.3 million budget deficit, the Salisbury Township School Board adopted a preliminary proposed budget for 2011-2012 Wednesday that calls for a tax increase between 1.4 percent and 3.5 percent.

A 1.4 percent increase means the owner of an average property assessed at $71,000 would pay an additional $45.17 in taxes. Total millage would increase to 46.0812, or an extra .6363 mills, and generate additional tax revenue of $273,566.

The same property owner would pay an additional $113.14 if taxes were raised 3.51 percent increase, or an extra 1.5935 mills. Total millage would increase to 47.0385 and generate $685,205 of additional revenue.

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Business Administrator Christine Stafford said the 3.51 percent increase was unlikely and presented as a "worst case scenario."

 The amount of the tax increase depends in part on the amount of exceptions approved by the state Department of Education. Salisbury will ask for about $411,000 in exceptions, which are line items that get special consideration from the state, such as retirement contributions, that if approved, could allow a school district to raise taxes above the maximum amount set by the state. 

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 In Salisbury’s case, the state has determined the maximum allowed tax increase is 1.4 percent. If the state grants the school board permission to raise taxes beyond 1.4 percent, the board must ask voters for approval in a referendum.

The school board will meet Friday to determine further cuts it can make to the projected $30.7 million expenses before it submits the budget February 14 to the state Department of Education. The preliminary budget projects about $28.4 million in revenue.

 The Department of Education must issue a ruling on the school district’s request by March 23. 

The school district will present is proposed final budget April 16 and vote on its proposed final budget May 11 and June 15.

The district is faced with more the loss of more than $600,000 anticipated from state and federal government, including $20,000 to $100,000 of federal stimulus money from the Edujobs program, which was supposed to be used to save teaching jobs.


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