At Last nights BOE meeting officials discussed the $6.1 million dollar proposal to be voted on by Lakewood taxpayers on November 5th. They explained that as of today there is no money for courtesy busing for both pubic and non public school students for the coming year.
If the proposal is approved by the voters it would cost the average tax payer $203 (in addition to the regular increase of $67) and they said it would provide courtesy busing for both public and non public and fund after school programs. It will be a yearly increase in the tax bill.
Non mandated parents will not have to pay a $150 fee to the LSTA per child since the money will come from the taxes it will cost the average homeowner (assessed at 320k) $203 a year. Mandated parents will also have to pay the same $203. so for a family of 4 who was paying the LSTA a total of $600 will now pay the annual taxes of 203 for a average home. Mandated parents will also have to pay the same $203 in txes even though they get busing at $1000 per child.
The LSTA already charged non mandated parents a $150 fee for next year it's not clear what is happening with those funds.
Because there is no LSTA as of today there is no funds available to pay for the non public courtesy busing. The township said it can no longer give money for the public courtesy busing. Therefore if the proposal is voted down by the tax payers officials said that would leave 13,000 non public students and 2965 public school students with no busing.
Do they think everyone is stupid enough to fall for these scare tactics. This is a money grab for mon mandated programs and they are using courtesy busing as a leverage.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all not everyone who is non mandated paid the 150 fee. The LSTA was getting $1000 per mandated student there was leftover funds to cover the non mandated.
LSTA bid out routes and charged for next year what is happening with that money and those routes?
The bulk of the tax hike will be paid by mandated parents why would they vote yes if they are getting busing at a value of 1000 per student.
The board members sit like puppets abd dont talk to the public how do they have the chutzpah to impose this without any notice ahead of time.
This is a way to circumvent the 2% property tax cap and increasing taxes.
The BOE hired the LSTA bus coordinator they should be able to add the non mandated at a cheaper rate.
Most homes in Lakewood are not a average Ocean county home and will end up paying more than 200 for this tax
When courtesy only goes one way it should be stopped.
ReplyDeleteLots of parents at the PS are not eligible to vote. The township graciously paid for public school courtesy but private school parents had to pay 150 for courtesy
ReplyDeleteStrange...
ReplyDeleteall this after LKWD Refused to protect our kids MORAL VALUES
and PROTEST at Blue claws and Library
Good point
Deletehttps://give.thechesedfund.com/cause/mi-lahashem-eilay
What happens with courtesy bussing from September through the election in November?
ReplyDeleteMany houses in Lakewood that are in to 600K range will pay $406..
ReplyDeleteKey word is anually and more the following year
DeleteI would rather have twp Legally re-imburse from township and have the private school run the transportation as it would be more efficient than having government involvement.
ReplyDeleteVote no!
first off , most houses in lakewood are assessed in the 500 to 600k range and after new assessment will be more . So the numbers are obviously being put there to try and manipulate tax payers. Number two , if this were long term fix then it may be worth it BUT who is to say this won't happen in another two years ? I have lived in lakewood for 15 years almost and it seems that every other year or third year something else comes up to either take loans or raise taxes or else...... Its time for township to get the stadium lease and non taxes they are paying and all the other 30 year tax abutments to stop. this town is exploding when it comes to job creation and these developers are going to build whether they get tax abutments or not . Its ridiculous
ReplyDeleteThis will become a new baseline and annual expense. Every year they find a reason to exceed the 2% cap. I will be voting no, hope everyone else does the same.
ReplyDeleteJust vote no
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