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Pascack Valley board reviews tentative 2026–27 budget proposing a 5.3% tax‑levy increase
Summary
The Pascack Valley Regional High School District presented a tentative 2026–27 budget that relies on a $60.63 million general‑fund tax levy (5.3% increase) to cover rising health‑care costs, capital work and targeted staffing changes; the budget goes to the county office March 27 with a final hearing April 27.
The Pascack Valley Regional High School District board on March 16 reviewed a tentative 2026–27 budget that would raise the district's general‑fund tax levy to $60,631,000, a 5.3% increase driven largely by a state health‑care premium adjustment and other operating pressures. Cindy Kirk, who presented the budget, said "86% of our budget is made up of the local tax levy," and described uses that include salaries, benefits and a rooftop unit replacement funded from capital reserves.
Why it matters: The budget would increase local property taxes while using a mix of reserves and state adjustments to cover rising costs. The board must submit the tentative budget to the county office by March 27; the final public hearing is scheduled for April 27.
Kirk walked the board through revenue and appropriation categories, saying the district is budgeting roughly $62.7 million in total tax levy when debt service is included and that local taxes account for the largest revenue share. She described staffing adjustments in the tentative plan: "We will be adding two part‑time care professionals" to meet special‑education needs, while the draft also includes reductions of two instructional positions and six support‑staff positions to help balance the books.
The presentation identified the health‑care premium increase in the state health benefits plan as a major driver. "There has been an approximately 30% health care premium increase in New Jersey state health care plan," Kirk said, and the district received nearly $1.9 million in a state health‑care adjustment this year that factors into the permissible levy increase.
Kirk also described capital plans: a rooftop unit replacement at one school will be funded by a capital‑reserve withdrawal, and maintenance projects will come from the maintenance reserve. She noted the district's fund balance and tuition revenue streams and displayed estimated tax impacts for each sending municipality.
Board members asked for more detail on cost reductions and programs that were discontinued. Mr. Phelps, the interim superintendent, explained that the district decided not to continue the InsightHealth program after a 1‑year trial and that some therapeutic services will return to in‑house counselors and wellness staff. "Without having Park Academy here," Phelps said, the district expects to absorb some costs and reassign responsibilities internally.
What happens next: The board will submit the tentative budget to the county office for review on March 27 and hold the legally required public hearing on April 27. Board members asked staff to provide more detailed line‑item and program impact information in advance of the hearing.
