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Ridgewood board previews preliminary $138M budget, holds tax levy to 2%
Summary
Ridgewood Public School District administrators presented a preliminary 2024–25 budget that keeps the tax levy to the board’s 2% target, relies on one-time reserve withdrawals and capital-reserve funding for three ROD-eligible projects, and schedules a final budget hearing for April 29.
Administrators for the Ridgewood Public School District presented a preliminary $138M-range 2024–25 spending plan and told the Board of Education the district will submit the advertised budget to the county by the March 20 deadline. Superintendent Dr. Schwarz framed the presentation as a two-stage public process that sets appropriations now and reserves the final tax-levy vote for the advertised hearing on April 29.
Business administrator Miss Cot told the board she began the budget work from the 2022–23 audit, identifying accumulated surpluses and realigning accounts rather than applying flat increases. She listed main cost pressures: a contract year for teacher and secretarial unions, an anticipated 9–12% rise in health-benefit costs, rising out-of-district special-education tuition, transportation increases, and higher utilities and vendor fees. “We were able to produce a budget that stays at the 2% tax levy,” she said during the presentation.
The presenters described revenue assumptions…
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