Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Washington Township board approves 2026–27 budget with 6.17% levy increase amid public protests
Summary
The Washington Township School District board approved the 2026–27 budget in a 5–3 vote, adopting a 6.17% tax levy increase (including a $4.3M health-care adjustment) and using roughly $7.5M in surplus; the plan funds preschool expansion while staff cuts and reduced hours drew strong public criticism.
The Washington Township School District board voted 5–3 to adopt its 2026–27 budget on May 1, approving a tax-levy increase of 6.17% that includes a roughly $4.3 million health-care adjustment and uses about $7.4–7.5 million in excess surplus from 2024–25 to avoid deeper cuts.
Why it matters: District leaders said the state’s rising health-benefit costs and a multi-year decline in unrestricted reserves forced difficult choices. The budget funds planned preschool expansion and limited capital work while reducing pay-time or eliminating some staff positions; residents and union representatives said the cuts will harm students and staff morale.
Board and administration officials said the package balances immediate program needs against constrained revenue. The presenter told the board that the district’s state aid rose by about $1.5 million but that extraordinary aid has declined, and that the state health-benefit…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
