Egg Harbor Township district proposes budget that keeps tax rate steady; referendum vote set for March 10

The Egg Harbor Township Board of Education reviewed a proposed 2026-27 budget that would keep the local school tax rate steady while using a 1.98% increase in the tax levy driven by rising property ratables.

Business administrator Mr. Smith told the board that the district's proposed general-fund tax rate would remain at about 1.9779 and that the levy option the administration recommends would generate roughly $1.6 million in new revenue. He said the district's budget currently faces a roughly $5.8 million gap based on projected salary increases of about $3.6 million and benefit increases of approximately $3.9 million. "If we take our salaries of 3,600,000, our benefits of 3.9, if we subtract the new revenue, from the tax levy, that gives us a budget gap of about 5,800,000 as of today," Mr. Smith said.

The board also received an update on the March 10 special election referendum to fund…