Neshaminy School Board Approves $161 million Budget

Tuesday night, the $161,288,763 budget for the 2011-2012 school year was approved with a 8-1 vote by the Neshaminy School board.

The budget includes a zero percent real estate tax increase. A homeowner will the average residential assement of $27,561 will pay $4,189 in taxes in 2011-2012, according to district figures. 

The district reduced expenditures for 2011-2012 by $2,603 from the 2010-2011 school year. The district's 2011-2012 expentiures are totaled at $160,069.

In order to balance the budget, Superintedent Louis Muenker said Tuesday that cuts to staffing were "necessary." He also said the board opted to  "dip into reserves to fill the [budget] gap." Board President Ritchie Webb said that about $2.8 million from the reserve fund was used to balance the budget. 

The eight grade foreign language program and tenth grade physical education classes were cut, despite many people's pleas to the board to not do away with them. 

Muenker also said that the 2011-2012 budget does include intramural programs and club activities at the middle and high schools, which were previously on the chopping block.