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Hopewell Valley board adopts final 2024-25 budget, uses state waivers to exceed levy cap
Summary
The Hopewell Valley Regional Board of Education voted unanimously to adopt its final 2024-25 budget, using state-granted waivers including a health benefit waiver to raise the tax levy above the 2% cap. Board officials said state funding fell short of the district's formula-determined amount and outlined expected program and fee changes.
The Hopewell Valley Regional Board of Education voted unanimously April 23 to adopt its final 2024-25 budget, using commissioner-granted waivers to raise the local tax levy above the state's 2% cap.
Board members approved the budget by roll call. The board president called the vote after the budget presentation and public comment period. Doctor Genovese, Mister Capadia, Mister Peters, Mister Slottman, Doctor Stiliano, Doctor Wilson and Miss Williams Galliano voted yes.
District presenter Bob Calabrio said the budget reflects an increase in the district's appropriation of about 3.1% and that the board took two waivers from the New Jersey Department of Education: one for rising health-benefit costs and one for an enrollment increase. "We did get what we were supposed to get based upon that formula, but not all of it," Calabrio said, describing a roughly $1 million shortfall between the formula's entitlement and the state's ability to pay.
Why it matters: the adopted budget affects local property-tax bills and how the district funds programs, staffing and facilities. Calabrio said the district is using a portion of fund balance to smooth recurring expenses while trying to preserve programs and staffing. He stressed that staffing and benefits make up about 80% of the district's budget.
Key figures and program changes cited by the administration included: - An additional $400,000 in state aid received this year compared with the prior year. - A health-benefit waiver that Calabrio described as "almost $1,800,000" to offset rising insurance costs. - An enrollment adjustment that increased resources by about $250,000. - IDEA (special education) funding around $900,000 and Title I funding around $150,000 (district noted federal awards are targeted and variable). - A reported 3.57% increase in transportation costs contracted for next year.
Calabrio said the district is reintroducing athletic and co-curricular fees and increasing some transportation fees to help sustain extracurriculars and transportation services without cutting programs. He described use of cooperation purchasing and in-house maintenance to reduce costs and noted district efforts to avoid layoffs by using attrition and nonrenewals where possible.
On taxpayers: Calabrio presented sample impacts for a $500,000 home, saying the levy action equals roughly a 7-cent change in the local rate and results in an estimated annual increase of about $281 in Hopewell Borough, $295 in Hopewell Township and about $343 in Pennington Borough, as shown in the presentation.
Board members thanked administration and staff for months of work on the budget. The budget had been advertised and transmitted to Mercer County after the board's tentative-adoption steps earlier in the year.
The board's adoption of the final budget completes the district's formal local appropriation process; administration said federal grant notifications (IDEA, Title programs) were still pending final confirmation at the time of the meeting.
