SOMERS POINT — The Somers Point Board of Education adopted the district’s $22,668,282 budget for 2022-23 on April 28, calling for no increase in the tax rate of 98.4 cents per $100 of assessed value.
Superintendent Michelle CarneyRay-Yoder and Business Administrator Julie Gallagher presented the budget to the Board of Education on March 17. It is the second straight year with no increase in the tax rate.
“I am very appreciative of Business Administrator Julie Gallagher, the administrative team and the Board of Education for supporting a budget with no tax increase while providing our students with all of the programs and services necessary to help them continue to grow academically, along with supporting their social and emotional health coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic,” CarneyRay-Yoder said.
The budget includes $15,802,849 in revenues from a tax levy of $10,392,770, state aid of $4,405,461 and $530,426 in fund balance, as well as tuition and Medicaid aid.
The city budget makes up about 30 percent of a tax bill, with the local and regional school budgets combining for about 50 percent and the county budget the other 20 percent.
City Council adopted the $18,885,378 municipal budget April 28 with a tax rate increase of 1.7 cents to $1.025 per $100.
Mainland Regional High School was expected to adopts its $30,942,090 budget May 2. Somers Point taxpayers will see their rate increase .6 cents to 74.9 cents.
However, Atlantic County’s $236.8 million budget calls for a 1.5-cent decrease, bringing the total expected tax increase for a homeowner to .8 cents, or $80/$100,000. That translates into a total tax increase of about $200 on a home assessed at $250,000.
The district’s enrollment continues to decline, dropping from 1,204 in fall 2009 to 728 in fall 2021, a loss of 476, or nearly 40 percent.
Also dropping is the district’s state aid, which Gallagher said is in the third year of a five-year adjustment period under the School Funding Reform Act.
State funding consists of $3,579,957 in Educational Adequacy Aid, $568,696 in special education aid, $142,184 in transportation aid and $114,624 in security aid.
The district received $4.96 million in 2020, $4.54 million for 2022 and is expected to receive just $3.58 million for 2023.
The tax levy makes up 66 percent of the budget, with state aid making up 27.9 percent, fund balance 3.4 percent and maintenance 2.5 percent, according to the presentation.
Other revenues come from federal funding. The district will receive $3,639,565 in American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief as well as $1,241,540 in preschool education aid.
The district continues to pay debt service on capital projects. A total of $966,020 will be paid in this budget year, including $742,829 from taxes and $222,080 from state aid.
Gallagher said no capital projects are anticipated in the upcoming budget year. Facilities improvements will include painting, installation of HVAC controls aimed at reducing energy costs, preventive maintenance and cosmetic restoration, as well as the purchase of energy management/asset management software.
By CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff