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Old Bridge board approves application to seek state tax‑levy incentive aid to address multi‑million dollar shortfall
Summary
On April 8, 2025 the Old Bridge Township Board of Education approved a resolution to submit an application to the New Jersey Department of Education that would permit the district to increase expenditures by up to $30,444,449 and seek tax‑levy incentive aid; board members debated tax impacts, transparency in the state formula and the April 14 application deadline.
The Old Bridge Township Board of Education on April 8 approved a resolution authorizing submission of an application to the New Jersey Department of Education that would allow the district to seek permission to increase expenditures by up to $30,444,449 and to request tax‑levy incentive aid as a tool to address a projected operating shortfall.
Superintendent (speaker 9) told the board that escalating costs — from healthcare and salaries to transportation and utilities — and years of state aid reductions have left the district with a projected $17.5 million to $18 million deficit. "You've put us at a financial cliff, and we're at that cliff," the superintendent said, explaining that the state labels the district roughly $30 million "under adequacy." He said the new application pathway in the proposed state budget surfaced with little notice and carries an April 14 filing deadline.
Why it matters: Board members and administration said the application does not itself raise taxes but allows the district to apply for authorization to increase expenditures up to the under‑adequacy amount, and to request offsetting tax‑levy incentive aid from the state. Board members said applying could provide breathing room to preserve programs and staff; others warned it could shift costs back onto local taxpayers without long‑term formula fixes in Trenton.
During public comment, Andrew Lewis, identified as representing OBEA, urged the board to approve the application, calling the aid "not a temporary bandage" but "a tool for long‑term sustainability" that could help restore services and retain staff. A member of the board urged caution about opening the process too wide, saying the option could "open the floodgates" and urging the board to determine a realistic, sustainable request rather than automatically seeking the full amount.
The resolution read into the record cites authority under N.J.S.A. 18A:7F‑46 and requests permission to increase expenditures by $30,444,449 and acknowledges eligibility to qualify for tax‑levy incentive aid in the amount of $1,000,000. The board voted in favor of submitting the application; the board secretary recorded that "Resolution 2 passes." Administration said it will gather the historical data and expenditure breakdowns the DOE requires and will complete the submission for the April 14 deadline.
Next steps: Administration will prepare the application packet for the Commissioner of Education and present options to the board about how much of the eligible gap to request. The DOE will review the submission and determine whether to authorize any increase and aid. The board did not finalize program details or a specific dollar request beyond the authorization to apply.
