By Maddy Vitale
The Ocean City Board of Education introduced a school budget for the 2018-19 school year with a slight decrease during a meeting Monday night.
The total budget it $42.5 million and the bulk of the funding for the spending plan will come from $22.6 million in local tax revenue.
That means, an owner of an average home assessed at $500,000 will pay $1,080 in local school taxes for the year, a decline of $10 compared to last year’s budget. That amounts to two-tenths of a penny decrease, School Business Administrator Timothy Kelley said in his presentation to the school board.
He said he was pleasantly surprised that state aid went up to $3.9 million this year, about a $145,000 increase from last year.
Kelley said tuition revenue from the sending districts was down, roughly 3 percent. Tuition revenue was also down from $11.7 million last year to $11.3 million.
In addition, employee benefits went up from $7.2 million to $7.8 million. Capital outlay for projects decreased from $1.7 million to $1.3 million because the district does not have to replace a sewer pipe at one of the schools at this time, Kelley explained.
Vic Staniec, of Ocean City addressed the school board, saying Kelley did a fantastic job.
“About three years ago we had some dire predictions about the budget. I was told layoffs – etc. It didn’t happen. We are thankful to Mr. Kelley. It is a privilege to witness your presentation,” Staniec said.
A public hearing and final vote on the school budget will be held at the next school board meeting April 25.
