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Closter Board hears draft budget as health-benefit costs jump 32%; trustees favor using allowable adjustment to avoid program cuts
Summary
Business Administrator Floro Villanueva told trustees a draft 2026-27 budget faces a projected 32% rise in health-benefit costs; the board indicated support for using the maximum allowable health-care adjustment to preserve programs and minimize disruption to students.
Business Administrator Floro M. Villanueva Jr. told the Closter Board of Education on Feb. 12 that the district—s preliminary 2026-27 budget is under significant pressure from employee health-benefit costs projected to increase by about 32 percent.
Villanueva presented multiple budget scenarios that would require program reductions if the district does not apply the allowable health-care adjustment. He walked trustees through multi-year tax-levy trends and the potential program impacts under each scenario. Superintendent Vincent McHale stressed that recent staffing additions were purposefully made to support students and urged caution about cuts that would affect direct services.
Board members expressed broad support for using the maximum allowable health-care adjustment to preserve programs and limit disruption. Villanueva said state aid figures, which affect final calculations, are expected around March; the board will consider the preliminary budget for formal action on March 12.
The briefing was procedural: no formal budget vote occurred at the Feb. 12 meeting. Trustees also agreed to notify parents and post materials in advance of the March presentation to encourage public participation.
Sources and provenance: Business Administrator Villanueva—s draft budget presentation and trustees—s discussion (meeting Feb. 12, 2026).
