Residents press Neptune Township board to reject maximum tax levy as district outlines budget timeline

Residents pressed the Neptune Township Board of Education on rising school taxes and transparency during a public comment-packed meeting where the superintendent and new business administrator outlined budget context and a public timeline.

Paul Zapka of Ocean Grove said taxpayers have endured what he described as a "48% increase in the school tax levy" over two years and urged the board to "reject the maximum levy" and find internal efficiencies rather than passing costs to seniors and young families. Johanna Hadid, a former finance chair in another district, asked the board to commit to staying within a 2% levy increase and to share negotiation status and shared-services options with the public.

Superintendent (identified in the transcript as Speaker 2) responded with a detailed budget context: since 2018 the district has cut more than 100 positions, closed a school and curtailed programs. The superintendent corrected figures circulating on social media, saying the district’s per-pupil administrative cost is $1,959 (8.8% of per-pupil spending) and that the district’s proficiency rate is 20.5% (not 10.5), and noted an approximate $8.8 million reduction in state aid tied to the sunset of the cited S-2 funding law. The superintendent also described ongoing conversations with the School Development Authority about possible facility lease or sale and reminded the public that some buildings carry reverter clauses.

Vincent Caravello, the district’s recently hired business administrator, said he began Jan. 2 and described the budget calendar and revenue-building steps the district must take. Caravello said the board is operating under a statutory 2% cap on the tax levy and that the district will present a visual budget update in February, file a tentative budget in March (for county review) and aim for final adoption in April or May. He listed major cost pressures including sharply rising health benefits, special-education tuition, transportation and vendor escalation.

Speakers at the meeting presented a range of views: some residents called for deep cuts to administrative spending or a hard cap on levy increases; others, including a former principal and curriculum director, highlighted district programs and student successes to argue investment has produced results. Several speakers asked for more public-facing budget data before the April public hearing.

The board moved through a consent agenda of routine items and voted to approve superintendent recommendations, finance items, transportation, special education and personnel items during the meeting. The board also gave a member permission to alter the February calendar day for snow-related reasons and adjourned.

The board did not vote on a final budget at this meeting; the business administrator said a public budget presentation is planned for February and the tentative budget will be posted in March for public review.