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Toms River district outlines $284.1M tentative budget, warns of state aid shortfall that raises local tax impact
Summary
District leaders presented a $284.1 million tentative general fund budget for 2026–27, citing a 5.4% increase driven by health care, special education and transportation costs and a multi‑year state aid shortfall they say added roughly $8.1 million over two years, increasing the local tax levy.
The Board of Education of the Toms River Regional Schools presented a tentative $284.1 million general fund budget for the 2026–27 school year and said the plan reflects a 5.4% overall increase driven primarily by rising health care, special education and transportation costs.
"This year, the proposed budget is $284,100,000, which is a 5.4% increase," Superintendent Sitton (speaker 2) told the board. He said most of that increase is due to health care, rising special education, transportation and utility costs.
Administrators told the board that state aid this year is about $31.6–$38.0 million depending on the slide and level of aggregation used in the presentation, and repeatedly warned that a formula 'guardrail' has kept the district below the funding the formula otherwise would have delivered. Mr. Doering (speaker 11) said the district was shorted about $3.9 million in state aid for the current year and faces a cumulative shortfall of roughly $8.1 million over two years.
Doering said taxes now fund roughly 82% of the general fund (about $234 million), up from 66% a decade ago, and that without the recent aid shortfalls the district's tax levy increase this year would have been closer to a hypothetical 1.4% rather than the reported 4.9%. He noted the district's calculated 'local fair share' benchmark would take many years to achieve under current levy increases.
The board discussed that the state funding formula and 'guardrails' have affected more than 50% of New Jersey districts; Sitton and Doering said they have engaged with state officials and legislators about possible fixes. Sitton cautioned that changes at the state level are not immediate and said the district will continue to plan for contingencies in the current tentative budget.
The board held no public comments, took questions from members on line items, and adjourned after the presentation and Q&A. Next steps include continued discussions with the county and the Department of Education as the tentative budget proceeds toward formal adoption.
