Winslow Township board adopts $139.2 million 2025–26 budget; tax levy rises 2%

Winslow Township Board of Education members voted Wednesday, May 7, to adopt the district's 2025–26 operating budget and set a tax levy that the board said amounts to a 2% increase. The board approved the advertised budget in a roll-call vote after a public budget hearing at a special meeting.

The budget, as presented by Business Administrator and Board Secretary Tyra McCord Boyle, includes a general-fund operating total of about $139.2 million and a combined general and special revenue budget of roughly $147.7 million. Boyle told the board the proposal increases revenue from state aid and relies on planned withdrawals from capital and maintenance reserves to pay for capital projects, including a middle-school HVAC replacement.

"What we're doing tonight is presenting a budget which will assist in the district achieving these goals," Boyle said, summarizing the district's stated priorities of student achievement, safety, and increased family and community engagement. Boyle described the numbers that underlie the plan and called some enrollment and revenue figures projections rather than final counts: "That is just a prediction," she said when asked about next year's estimated enrollment.

Most significant items in the presentation included: - State aid: The district reported an overall increase in state aid from the current year; Boyle described specific changes to preschool-related aid and said total state aid for 2025'26 is higher than 2024'25 by roughly $2.0 million. - Local revenue: The proposed tax levy is listed at roughly $55.8 million; Boyle said the levy increase represents about a 2% rise and noted that a one-penny change in the rate corresponds to about $275,000 in revenue. Boyle estimated the tax impact for the average assessed home at about $61 for the year. - Fund-balance and reserves: The budget calls for withdrawing about $6.7 million from fund balance and approximately $14.5 million from capital reserves; an additional maintenance-reserve withdrawal was listed at about $830,200. - Capital projects and appropriations: The board was told the capital plan includes replacement of original HVAC units at the middle school with an estimated project cost of about $14,585,988, replacement playgrounds at schools 1 through 6, continued technology and software renewals, and purchase of four school buses under the district's vehicle rotation standard (Boyle estimated bus purchases at roughly $648,000). - Program and operating allocations: Instruction was shown as the largest appropriation (about 31.7% of the general fund), benefits about 13.98%, capital outlay about 12.04%, and student transportation about 8.3%. The presentation listed total operating appropriations consistent with the proposed general-fund total.

Board members asked for clarifications during the hearing. Questions focused on enrollment projections, the impact of local residential construction on future student counts, and the composition of tuition and other local revenue. Boyle explained the district uses state-provided budget software and ranges supplied by the county/state to project October enrollments and cautioned that revenues tied to some sources (for example, E-rate refunds and federal Medicaid-related incentives) can vary and are sometimes recognized in a different fiscal year when receipts occur after the budget is closed.

The board opened a limited public-comment period specific to the budget; no members of the public signed up to speak. After a period for board questions, the board voted to close the budget questions-and-answers portion and then moved to adopt the budget on the business administrator's recommendation.

On the adoption motion, the board recorded a roll-call vote: Yes'Dredgen, Glaude, Martin, Peterson, Thomas, Shaw; No'Clark, McManus. The motion carried, 6'2.

The board meeting record shows the board will continue to monitor actual enrollment counts and revenues as year-end figures and state/county reports become final; Boyle said monthly financial reports will be provided to the board throughout the year and that transfers between budget lines over certain thresholds require county notification and, in some instances, approval.

An itemized advertised budget and related slides were referenced during the presentation; Boyle said corrected figures would be made before the documents are posted. The board adjourned following the public-comment and closing motions.