West Deptford Board of Education Opts for More Tax Relief

School tax relief is coming–next year.

The West Deptford school board voted, 5-3, to use an extra $413,794 in state aid as a hedge against the 2012-2013 budget after considering several options during an hourlong closed session after the board's regular meeting Monday night.

“It makes good business sense,” said William Thompson, West Deptford's assistant superintendent and business administrator.

Thompson, who, along with superintendent Kevin Kitchenman, recommended the move to defer the money to the 2012-2013 budget, said the move takes away a potential hole in the budget for next year–federal EduJobs funding, a one-time revenue source of about $414,000–leaving one less thing to worry about.

“This way it'll smooth out the tax rate,” Thompson said.

It's also in line with what other school districts in Gloucester and Camden counties are doing, based on emails between business administrators in the counties, he said.

Christopher Strano, the board's president and one of three votes against the move–he, along with board members Ginny Brockway and Kate Cargill, were in favor of immediate tax relief–said it was a complicated decision, and budget security was a big part of that decision.