Average taxes up $160, By Millie Guerrero West Milford - Superintendent Glen Kamp presented the final budget to the Board of Education. “It is, once again, a maintenance budget,” he said. The budget calls for an increase in the taxes of $160 per average assessed home of $130,000, which is a 3.1 percent increase. That rate is lower than last year’s total after the budget was defeated and adjusted. He said the district received an increase of three percent from state aid, but still receives less money than the state average to cover administrative costs. The district receives 27 percent of funds for the budget against the state average of 42 percent that covers other school district budgets. “We get less state aid than the average,” Kamp said. The district also spends less money per pupil, $1029, than any other district in Passaic County. In a document sighting numbers from The Star Ledger, the state’s average cost per student is $1,334 and county average is $1,332. Neighboring towns such as Wanaque and Ringwood matched the state and county numbers for per pupil costs. “There isn’t a district that has spent less than $1,029 per pupil,” Kamp said. “...We owe you the best education for the children of West Milford at the best price.” Items removed from the preliminary budget include: new teaching positions, new special education positions, special education tuition and related services, a new computer technician, non-public transportation aid, custodial equipment and maintenance repairs, technology-Alpha Smarts, musical instruments, instructional textbooks alternative funding, and employee benefit adjustments. “These are the things that are needed,” Kamp said, “but we won’t be able to provide for our students.” He said the district could look at any savings in the budget that occurs within the year and see what they can add from the list. The budget presentation also included a series of interviews from high school alumni who are currently attending college. Steven Cea, the district administrator, said these students provide important information that allows the district to strengthen the curriculum to better prepare students for continuing education. Voting for the budget will take place from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday, April 17. The board also approved the new school calendar with the following date changes: May 29, the district closes for Memorial Day weekend, and the end of the school year including the high school graduation is on June 19.