Vernon Township School District proposes 5.81% levy increase to fund 2026–27 budget; public commenters urge cuts

Vernon Township School District officials on April 30 presented a proposed $55,165,220 tax levy for the 2026–27 school year — a roughly $3 million increase, or a 5.81% levy rise that includes a 2% cap plus a health-care adjustment — and detailed how the money would be used to expand preschool, restore positions and bolster special-education supports.

Superintendent Ebony Dominguez opened the public hearing by framing the budget as a step in a multi-year recovery from cuts the district made in 2023. "I think what you'll hear from Mr. Slam and I this evening is that this budget here is not a solution. It's a journey toward restoring the things that were lost in order to meet the needs of our students adequately, thoroughly, and efficiently," Dominguez said. She described the district as serving about 3,102 students across six schools and said preschool currently serves 366 students in 23 classrooms with two new classrooms opening in September.

Business administrator Ray Slam laid out the principal cost drivers shaping the proposal, citing a recent 25% increase in health-care premiums and other structural costs such as transportation and utilities. "We had an increase in January of about 25% for our health benefits," Slam said,…