Monday, March 4, 2013
Warren residents will see greater increase due to higher property assessments.
A proposed $36,845,472 budget for Watchung Hills Regional's 2013-2014 school year was approved by board members Monday. The budget will be submitted for review by the county executive school superintendent, and probably modified, before the March 21 public hearing and final approval. The budget is 1.9 percent higher than the current year's, and includes $27,641,488 to be raised by taxes (which increase by 2 percent). Due to the differences in proportion of assessments in the school's sending districts, the tax impact breakdown varies between the townships: Business Administrator Tim Stys noted the district saw a 14.3 percent increase in medical insurance costs, plus a jump of 10-15 percent anticipated for property and casualty insurance …
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Watchung Hills Regional
108 Stirling Rd, Warren, NJ
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757983
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Thursday, February 28, 2013
A deeper look at figures shows districts losing state aid.
Watchung Hills Regional looks to have it pretty good in the state aid figures released today, with a 3.5 increase—$31,766—in state aid coming to the school. But Business Administrator Tim Stys says that's only part of the story. "We actually received a 'net' state aid decrease of $19,212," Stys said. So while the focus is on the state's rosy aid figures for special education, transportation and security—which totals $934,159 for Watchung Hills Regional—another figure, called the School Development Authority Debt Assessment, reduces the aid the district will receive. This year, the assessment is being increased by $50,978, leaving the district $19,212 behind last year. "Considering that we have had enrollment increases for the past two …
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Board hears proposed budget with 2 percent tax increase—and concerns about upcoming projects.
The Watchung Hills Regional budget for the 2013-2014 school year faced several challenges—including an increase in enrollment and several capital projects that could have proven to be budget busters. But according to a presentation at Monday's Board of Education meeting by Business Administrator Timothy Stys, the district is expecting to meet its goals that include adding technology and improving student achievement with a budget that rises by 0.10 percent. Of course, there is a caveat to the proposed budget: Stys said it assumes state aid remains at $902,393, the same as the current school year, and that may not be a safe assumption. "Feb. 26, the governor speaks; Feb. 28, we get our state aid—I think you really need to pay attention …
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Watchung Hills Regional
108 Stirling Rd, Warren, NJ
/articles/proposed-whrhs-budget-looks-stable-but-clouds-loom
757983
/locations/8859391
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Thanks to Watchung's faster rise in property assessments, Warren's share drops for 2012-13 school year.
The owner of a property assessed at Warren Township's average of $625,600 will see a $7 drop in property taxes collected for the Watchung Hills Regional school district in the $36 million preliminary budget. That's despite an increase in the total tax levy—which will rise by 2 percent from $26,568,135 to $27,099,498. Under the funding formula for the regional district, the tax is divided between the three sending communities based on total assessments and number of pupils, which resulted in this year's decrease for Warren. Property owners in Watchung and Long Hill don't fare as well—the owner of a Watchung property at the borough's average ($633,203) faces a $123 increase in taxes, while Long Hill's average property owner (with an …
40.65112
-74.47799
Watchung Hills Regional
108 Stirling Rd, Warren, NJ
/articles/high-school-s-36-million-budget-plan-includes-tax-decrease-for-warren
757983
/locations/6525207
John Patten
8:26 am on Tuesday, March 5, 2013
If I understand Mr. Stys correctly, the tax rate is determined by the percentage each of the towns' assessments represent of the total. Since Warren saw more increase in property values than Watchung or Long Hill, its percentage of the total rose, meaning a larger increase. Last year, the shoes were on the other feet: http://patch.com/A-rwh1 more ›