Cherry Hill Eyes State Lawmakers Amid School Budget Woes

CHERRY HILL, NJ — A school budget that will increase property taxes in Cherry Hill has been approved. But state lawmakers could still help the district offset the anticipated local tax burden.

Cherry Hill schools have been preparing for one of the biggest state-aid cuts among any New Jersey district for the 2024-25 school year. As a result, local property taxes will increase by about $195 on the average home — worth $226,922 — under the $251.6 million budget passed by the Board of Education at Tuesday's meeting.

However, the district community still has eyes on Trenton, where two bills in the State Senate could pump additional funding into Cherry Hill schools. The Assembly approved both measures in mid-April.

Cherry Hill is currently set to receive $29.5 million in state-equalization aid from Gov. Phil Murphy's proposed budget for the next fiscal year — a decrease of nearly $7 million from this school year's allocation of $36.4 million.

One bill in the State Senate would allow districts facing aid reductions, such as Cherry Hill, to receive grants worth two-thirds of that cut funding. Districts receiving those grants wouldn't be allowed to cut staff in most cases.

Cherry Hill's approved budget prevents layoffs. However, some vacancies brought by retirements and other personnel departures will not be refilled.

"We have not cut staff because we've been able to do most of the cuts through attrition," School Board President Miriam Stern said at Tuesday's meeting. "So I'm not sure how if that will make us eligible for that or not. So that's what we're waiting to find out as we get more information."

The other state bill would allow Cherry Hill to submit spending plans after the state enacts its budget for the 2025 fiscal year, which begins in July. That would give the district two more months to tinker with its budget.

Both bills remain in the hands of different State Senate committees, so it's uncertain when or if they may be up for full Senate votes.

The New Jersey Department of Education revealed equalization funding for each district in late February, when Cherry Hill learned its aid was getting slashed. Ever since, the district community has mobilized for better funding from Trenton, including several students testifying before state lawmakers.

Even though Cherry Hill's school board approved next year's budget, the chance at additional state funding means those efforts are continuing.

"There are a lot of bills out there that have not passed yet," said Board Member Adam Greenbaum, "and we want to call our legislators and urge them to do so."

Fair Funding for Cherry Hill Public Schools — an organization that advocates for better state funding toward the district — continues to encourage the public to contact lawmakers through "Tuesday Tweets" and Friday phone calls.