Little Egg Harbor school board fails to approve tentative tax-levy increase; teachers warn cuts would hit arts and special education

The Little Egg Harbor Township Board of Education failed to adopt a tentative tax-levy adjustment on its agenda after several board members abstained or requested more information, leaving the district’s next steps and qualification for proposed state incentive aid uncertain.

During public comment before the vote, teachers and parents urged the board not to cut arts, music and special-education time. Karen Strang, a teacher with 22 years in the district, asked how many staff cuts the budget assumes and whether a shorter school day or split sessions — or elimination of art, music and STEAM — were being considered.

"Are we contemplating split sessions because the classes will be too large to accommodate, or are you considering eliminating specials?" Strang asked. "That would be detrimental to our students."

Several other teachers echoed that view. Amy Eastburn, an art teacher, said the district’s 40 minutes per week of arts and STEAM instruction is "foundational to the growth and development of the whole child." Christina Borer, a teacher of 25 years, said the board’s proposal would cut about 30 teachers and strip supports that help at-risk students, which she warned would make it nearly impossible for remaining staff to meet student needs.

On the dais, a district staff member explained the mechanics driving the proposal: the board had been advised it could seek the maximum allowable tax levy by applying a 2% base increase plus three allowable adjustments — for enrollment, health-care costs and the district’s unused "bank cap" — which together produce a maximum levy figure the staff cited as $16,000,006.45 (described in the meeting as a 13.9% increase from current levels). The staff member said the district would position itself to apply for a forthcoming state "tax levy incentive" aid program but that the state had not yet released application guidance.

Board members pressed for detail and legal clarity. One member asked whether the incentive aid would be "free money" for taxpayers; the staff member said that was not yet known and that the state had provided very limited information. The staff member also explained that the 6% increase in state aid mentioned during the meeting equates to about $436,000, which does not cover multi-year losses that had left the district roughly $1.5 million behind compared with four years earlier.

When the board took a roll-call on the motion to set the tentative tax levy at the maximum amount, several members abstained because they said they did not have enough information about the concrete impacts of the proposed levy on staffing and services. At least one member voted yes and at least one voted no; the clerk announced, "The motion does not pass." The staff member said they would consult the State Department of Education on next steps and whether the county office can or will intervene.

After the failed motion, board members agreed to arrange additional finance-committee meetings and to provide a spreadsheet showing how different levy scenarios would translate into staff retained, staff cuts and other budget line items such as health insurance, transportation and utilities. The board scheduled committee meetings and a full-board meeting to revisit the levy before the State Department of Education’s budget deadlines.

The board also approved a separate non-personnel agenda item during the meeting. Board members closed by thanking teachers for their testimony and promising to provide the requested detailed breakdowns before the next vote.

What’s next: the board set committee meetings and a special full-board meeting to review a detailed impact analysis and to consider revoting on the tentative levy after members receive the requested information and any applicable state guidance.