West Orange Board adopts 2024-25 budget, raises local tax levy 2.77% and approves staff reductions

The West Orange Board of Education voted unanimously on May 6 to adopt its 2024-25 spending plan, approving a 2.77% increase in the local tax levy and a slate of staffing reductions to close a funding gap caused by a drop in state aid.

Board members and district leaders said the budget shortfall stemmed from a reduction in equalization aid and rising costs for salaries, benefits and utilities. Superintendent Mr. Moore told the board the result was a net shortfall after some categorical increases, and that administrators had trimmed supplies, outsourced contracts and other expenditures and used retirements and non-renewals to limit layoffs. "Without that money from the state that's the only way to balance this budget," Moore said during the meeting.

Why it matters: Board members and the superintendent said the district faced an unexpected change in state funding that required…