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Pascack Valley board hears proposed $72.7M 2026-27 budget; tax levy exceeds $60.6M
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Summary
Business administrator Cynthia Curran presented a proposed 2026-27 budget with total revenue just over $72.7 million, a general fund tax levy of $60,631,424, capital reserve funding for a $1.6 million rooftop HVAC replacement and planned use of $2.6 million in fund balance.
The Pascack Valley Regional High School District board on April 27 heard a presentation of the district's proposed 2026-27 budget that would set total revenues at just over $72.7 million and a general fund tax levy of $60,631,424.
Business Administrator and Board Secretary Cynthia Curran reviewed revenue, expenditures and anticipated local tax impacts. Curran said approximately 86% of district revenue is expected to come from the local tax levy; state aid was presented at $3,064,664 (a 6% increase over the prior year). The presentation included allocations for academic and co-curricular programs, staffing adjustments and capital projects.
Curran highlighted a major capital project: replacement of a lecture-hall rooftop unit at Pascack Valley High School budgeted at $1,600,000, to be funded through a withdrawal from the district's capital reserve. The budget also includes purchase of a school bus, netting and field improvements at Pascack Hills, and facility repairs such as gym-lobby door replacement. Staffing changes noted in the presentation were the addition of two part-time paraprofessionals for special education support and elimination of two instructional and six support positions as part of cost reductions.
On revenue detail, Curran said federal and state aid account for about 5% of revenue; the district budgeted $266,000 in extraordinary aid and $316,000 in nonpublic aid. Total federal aid was shown as $370,000 and the district plans to use $2,600,000 of fund balance from prior-year surplus.
Curran presented tax-impact calculations for the district's four sending municipalities. The presentation listed a $236.73 estimated annual increase for an average Hillsdale home assessed at $477,981 and an estimated $412.90 annual increase for a Montvale home assessed at $551,726; slide figures included per-month equivalents. A slide also summarized that more than 67% of the budget is allocated to salaries and benefits (approximately $49 million).
Curran said rising health-care costs are the district's largest financial challenge and noted projected health-and-dental expenditures exceeding $10 million in the proposed budget. She described the formula governing tax-share among sending districts as set by New Jersey law and reiterated that the board does not itself levy taxes.
The presentation closed with a reminder that the tentative budget had been approved and sent to the county (approved April 15) and that tonight's meeting included the budget hearing; subsequent formal board action will follow the hearing and required procedures.
No final board adoption vote on the budget was recorded in the transcript of this meeting segment; the board proceeded to public comment and other agenda items.
