School Budget Vote and Hearing Set
- Hillsborough Township Board of Education set its final 2026-27 budget vote and public hearing for April 30 as members kept debating a proposed levy increase. - The introduced budget totals $182.7 million and passed 5-4 in March, with a 2 percent levy hike adding about $2.89 million. - The debate follows last year’s larger school-tax jump and another state-aid cut to Hillsborough. (patch.com)
Hillsborough’s school board is heading to an April 30 public hearing and final vote on a 2026-27 budget that still includes a 2 percent tax-levy increase. (patch.com) (htps.us) The Hillsborough Township Board of Education introduced the budget on March 23 by a 5-4 vote after a long debate over taxes and district finances. The proposal totals $182,748,175, up a little more than $5.8 million from 2025-26. (patch.com) Under that proposal, the general-fund tax levy would rise by $2,891,204 to $147,451,418. Superintendent Michael Volpe told the board he could absorb either option for one year but recommended the increase for longer-term stability. (patch.com) Board President Joel Davis said on April 13 that the March vote approved only an introduced budget, not the final version. He said members were still weighing a 2 percent levy against a lower increase or a 0 percent option before the April 30 hearing. (patch.com) The district’s budget pressure is coming from both spending and aid. According to the March presentation summarized by Patch, state aid is down $519,761, health-insurance costs are rising 19 percent, and other insurance costs are rising about 20 percent. (patch.com) Administrators tied the proposed levy to staffing and security additions, including kindergarten teachers, lunch aides, building monitors, camera upgrades, weapon-detection monitoring and license-plate readers. Davis also said a transportation and maintenance facility estimated at $7 million was in the plan. (patch.com 1) (patch.com 2) The tax debate is sharper because Hillsborough already approved a major school-tax increase for 2025-26 through New Jersey’s Tax Incentive Aid program. That move restored proposed cuts after the district lost state aid again last year. (patch.com) The April 30 meeting is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at the Auten Road Intermediate School cafetorium on Auten Road, where Hillsborough regularly holds board meetings. The hearing is the public’s last formal chance to weigh in before the board decides whether to keep, trim or drop the levy increase. (htps.us 1) (htps.us 2)
