At the upcoming Board of Education meeting on Tuesday, the Cherry Hill School District’s proposed budget, which includes a tax hike amidst significant state aid cuts, will undergo its final vote.
Introduced last month, the proposed budget stands at $251.6 million and is expected to raise taxes by $194.71 for the average assessed home valued at $226,922. However, this increase comes against the backdrop of substantial reductions in equalization funding from the state for the upcoming 2024-25 school year.
The decision to raise taxes aims to prevent potential layoffs and larger class sizes, which were feared to be inevitable due to the state aid cuts. This tax hike follows the tax obligation resulting from the 2022 bond referendum, which added $386 to the average home’s taxes. Consequently, several residents expressed concerns about excessive spending during the meeting held on March 19.
Although the proposed budget outlines a 1.8 percent decrease in the general fund, from $256.1 million in the current school year to $251.6 million for 2024-25, local taxation is set to increase by 3.6 percent. This increase, from $189.3 million to $196.2 million, is primarily due to cuts in state aid and other external funding sources.
Assistant Superintendent Lynn E. Shugars presented the proposed budget during the March 19 meeting, where board members voted to approve its introduction. Key points of the proposal were discussed during the meeting.
Highlights from the previous school board meeting include:
- Approval of a New Superintendent for Cherry Hill District
- Heated Exchange Regarding Conflict of Interest within Cherry Hill School Board Draws Controversy
Governor Phil Murphy’s proposed budget allocates $29.5 million in state equalization aid to Cherry Hill schools for the next fiscal year, marking a 19 percent decrease from the current year’s allocation of $36.4 million and the lowest total since 2021-22. Since late February, when the state education department announced cuts for Cherry Hill, students, officials, and the district community have been advocating for increased funding from Trenton.
Tuesday’s meeting will include a hearing on the budget, providing an opportunity for public comment before the board votes on its adoption.
.
