RED BANKERS TO GET BREAK ON RBR TAX

Taxes

The tax for the Red Bank Regional High School district will rise for Little Silver and Shrewsbury property owners and decline for those in Red Bank under the proposed $23.3 million budget up for a vote April 15, today’s Asbury Park Press reports.

From the story:

Under the spending plan, taxpayers in Red Bank would see about a half-cent decrease, for a tax rate of 34.9 cents per $100 of assessed value. That means the owner of the average home, assessed at $406,627, would see a $20.33 annual decrease, according to the district.

Officials said Red Bank saw a decrease because that borough is sending fewer students to the high school. The Red Bank Regional high school tax rate does not include municipal, county or local school tax rates.

Little Silver taxpayers would see a tax rate increase of 1.2 cents per $100 of assessed value, bringing the estimated tax rate to 42.69 cents per $100 of assessed valuation, according to the district. Under the proposed budget, the owner of the average home would pay an annual increase of $60.82 on a home assessed at $506,793.

In Shrewsbury, the proposed tax rate would be 48.94 cents per $100 of assessed valuation, up about 5.7 cents, according to information supplied by the district. The owner of the average home, assessed at $398,967, would see an annual increase of about $227.56.

In total, $17.25 million — up four percent from the 2007-’08 spending plan — needs to be raised locally. “Our budget is fairly lean,” Superintendent Ed Westervelt told the Press. “Most of the programs are being initiated with federal money from a $1.5 million grant for smaller learning centers.”

It’s not in the Press story, but redbankgreen has learned that Grace Costa, one of five Red Bankers on the nine-member board, resigned effective immediately last night after 23 years. She cited her desire to avoid a conflict of interest as her son has applied for a job as a guidance counselor at the school.

Because of the nearness of the election, Costa’s vacancy won’t be on the ballot. Instead, the board is asking
that Red Bank residents interested in serving the remaining year of Costa’s term to submit a cover letter and resume to board secretary and business administrator Christina Galvao.

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