Roxbury board approves budget resolutions after administrators outline $91M plan, 27-position reduction target
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Summary
Superintendent and the business administrator presented a 2026–27 budget that relies on a health‑benefit tax‑levy adjustment and would require reducing about 27 positions unless offset by retirements or added revenue; the board approved finance resolutions covering the budget by roll call.
The Roxbury Township Board of Education on March 23 heard a detailed budget presentation from Superintendent Dr. Frank Santora and Business Administrator Joe that outlined a proposed $91,000,001.62 operating budget for 2026–27 and a proposed tax levy to be raised of $70,341,678. During the presentation, administrators said rising costs — including a projected $4.1 million increase in health‑benefit costs and higher utilities and insurance — forced difficult choices.
Dr. Santora told the board the district is holding to five multiyear goals — including a multi‑tiered system of supports and curriculum updates — while facing repeated reductions in state aid. Joe, the district business administrator, said the district is projecting a maintenance‑reserve deficit of roughly $1.2 million and a fund‑balance deficit of about $1.5 million and that enrollment declines (about 40 fewer students) have reduced revenue by roughly $800,000 (about $20,000 per student).
To avoid deeper cuts, the administration said it will use the statutory health‑benefit cost adjustment allowed under New Jersey law to exceed the 2% tax‑levy cap this year. Joe said the district’s health‑benefit base for the current year is about $13,453,949 and that the state’s calculation produced an allowed adjustment of approximately $3,947,365 (about a 29.34% cap exception). The business administrator said the total levy impact reported to the board was 8.06% for the coming year (the 2% cap plus the adjustment).
Administrators also outlined offset strategies, including shared services (transportation contracts, ESC purchasing), tuition‑based special‑education programs to attract out‑of‑district students, attrition and targeted position control. The presentation said the current planning assumption requires reducing 27 positions overall; four of those have already left through retirement or resignation, and the administration said remaining reductions would prioritize non‑tenured roles and rely on further retirements/attrition where possible.
Board members pressed for detail on revenue assumptions and extraordinary‑aid (x‑aid) reimbursements for special education. Joe said extraordinary‑aid reimbursements have fluctuated — citing reimbursements of about 51.6% for 2025 and 61.7% for 2024, compared with near‑90% rates in earlier years — and stressed that accurate IEP documentation is required to claim eligible extraordinary services.
After the presentation and public comments, the board moved the finance block (resolutions 1–23) with an amendment correcting the taxes‑to‑be‑raised line in item 8 to $70,341,678. The board then conducted a roll‑call vote; the motion passed. Several other resolution blocks (education, policies, personnel) were moved and passed later in the meeting.
The administration said it will continue public engagement (monthly superintendent coffees and upcoming parent information sessions) as planning continues. The board also scheduled continued budget work in April and noted that additional retirements or new revenue sources could reduce the number of required staff reductions. The meeting adjourned after routine business.
