Long Hill School Board reviews tentative $24.0 million 2026–27 budget; health‑care costs drive proposed levy increase

The Long Hill Township Board of Education on March 16 received a detailed presentation of the tentative 2026–27 budget, which Business Administrator Robin Bomer said totals $24,025,422 in expected revenue and a general fund operating budget of about $22.9 million.

Bomer said the budget includes a $47,318 increase in state aid and that roughly 88.2% of revenue comes from the local tax levy. “Health care is projected to increase 23.5% next year,” Bomer said, calling the rise the principal external pressure on the budget.

Superintendent George Alexis framed the proposal as student-centered and aligned with district goals: “This budget is aligned with our strategic plan and our district and board goals,” Alexis said, adding the board and administration looked for efficiencies to preserve programs and staffing despite the higher benefits costs.

The administration outlined several reserve-funded capital projects intended to have a zero direct impact on the levy, including an HVAC project at Central Middle School and playground and backstop work at Gillette. Bomer said the district will draw $354,000 from the maintenance reserve for high‑priority repairs and use capital reserves for certain playground work.

Administrators presented an estimated tax impact for an average Long Hill homeowner — about $360 a year (approximately $30 per month) — tied to a combination of the 2% levy cap, a small enrollment adjustment and a $661,000 health‑care adjustment allowed by the state. “This calculation includes the total impact of both the operating budget and the debt service,” Bomer said.

Board members pressed administration for clarifications about banked cap, reserves, and whether proposed playground purchases would replace recently installed equipment. Board member Tom asked whether some discretionary projects could be deferred given tight fiscal conditions; administration replied the playground work is being funded from capital reserves and would not increase the levy. “If we take the playground equipment out of the budget, your tax levy still stays at 5.7%,” Bomer said.

Several trustees emphasized that the finance committee had considered multiple options during months of review. Trustee (and finance-committee member) Alex said the committee had examined revenue and expenditure alternatives and that the version presented reflected committee deliberations. “There is a cost of doing nothing, which could be the cost of voting no,” a finance-committee member said, urging members to weigh deferred maintenance risk against tax impacts.

Administration also described program investments included in the tentative budget: expansions of in‑district specialized programs, adding a learning-language-disabled class at Millington, increasing BCBA services to four days per week, a continued 1:1 computer initiative and a plan to transition the summer institute to a tuition‑based model to offset operational costs.

Public comment briefly focused on the decision to charge tuition for the Summer Institute. Lauren Franklin, a parent, said charging families for a student program was disappointing and questioned the district’s priorities while recent facility projects had been undertaken.

Votes at a glance

- Unsung‑hero recognition for Joaquin Squiziato: approved (unanimous roll call) — motion moved by a board member and approved by roll call. - Minutes (item 2): approved by roll call (motion moved; second recorded). - Financials (items 3–31): approved by roll call as part of the consent agenda. - Grant for Newark field trip (listed as resolution ‘21’): approved; one board member recused from vote on item 21 (recusal noted in roll call). - Special services (item 32), personnel (33–38), curriculum (39), policy items (40–41), and other items (42–43): all approved by roll call as listed on the consent agenda.

What’s next

The board moved the consent agenda and approved the listed resolutions and personnel items during the meeting’s action portion. The tentative budget must be submitted to the county superintendent by March 27 as part of the statutory timeline for adoption and subsequent public hearings and final adoption.