Hillsborough board narrowly approves superintendent's 2% tentative budget after heated debate
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Summary
The Hillsborough Township Board of Education voted 5'4 on March 23 to approve Superintendent Volpe's 2026'27 tentative budget with a 2% tax-levy increase. Board members and residents debated whether to prioritize tax relief or long-term district stability ahead of the April 30 final hearing.
The Hillsborough Township Board of Education approved the superintendent's proposed 2026'27 tentative budget, carrying the measure 5'4 at the board's March 23 meeting.
The motion authorized submission of a $182,748,175 tentative budget and a 2% increase in the school tax levy, a change district staff said would add about $2,981,204 to the levy. Superintendent Mr. Volpe told the board he "is recommending that they go to 2%" to protect staffing and preserve long-term financial stability.
Why it matters: district leaders said the choice balances reductions in state aid and rising costs for health insurance and utilities against the risk of future, larger tax spikes and program cuts. The superintendent and union leaders argued that the 2% path avoids cutting positions and preserves programs introduced during the district's recovery from earlier budget shortfalls.
Board debate centered on trade-offs. Opponents of the 2% option cited last year's unusually large levy increase and the immediate burden on residents. "I can't in good conscience raise it again even if it's only a $100," one board member said during the debate. Supporters countered that a modest increase now could prevent deeper cuts or a larger increase later.
Public comment was heavily attended. Teachers, union officials and parents urged the board to approve the 2% levy to protect class size and supports; several residents urged restraint, describing household hardship following last year's tax rise.
Vote and next steps: The roll call on item 13.1 produced five yes votes (Ms. Craig; Ms. Lanningbeater; Mr. Marini; Ms. Nurse; Mr. Davis) and four no votes (Mr. Ehrenkrantz; Ms. Jackson; Ms. Statz; Ms. Trujillo). The tentative budget will be submitted to the executive county superintendent by March 27 for review and advertised in advance of the April 30 public hearing; the board can make further changes before the final adoption.
Details from the presentation: staff said the general fund portion of the levy would increase by roughly $2.98 million under the 2% plan and that the total 2026'27 budget compares to the 2025'26 budget at approximately $182.75 million. District presenters also flagged a state-aid reduction (about $1.52 million), increased health-insurance costs (about 19%, per the presentation) and planned capital and technology investments, including cameras, weapon-detection monitoring and Chromebook replacements.
Board President Mr. Davis said the superintendent's budget is his recommendation but that the board's vote tonight sets parameters rather than final line items. The final budget hearing and vote are scheduled for April 30, 2026.
