Early Livingston School Budget Would Mean Tax Hike For Homeowners

LIVINGSTON, NJ — Livingston homeowners would face a tax hike if the local school district’s early budget crosses the finish line intact, administrators say.

On Tuesday, the Livingston Board of Education heard a presentation about the district’s preliminary spending plan for 2024-2025 (watch the video below, cued to the discussion).

Some highlights of the proposed budget include:

• “All programs and staffing currently in place for the 2023-2024 school year”
• “Necessary technology upgrades, mandated math curriculum changes, and a needed physical inventory of fixed assets for reconciliation with our financial records”
• “Impending changes in health benefits, with over $900,000 in savings to the district and employees, relative to what the cost would have been without the change. Prescription increase of 10%, dental 5%.”
• “3.2% salary increases, as per agreements with the associations”
• “No increase to the debt service tax levy”
• “Does not include requests for $1,295,551 in new programs and staffing at this time”

The presentation included a comparison of what the expected tax impact would be if the district chooses to use its banked cap (see charts below).

The full budget presentation can be viewed online here.

Administrators will be working on the budget until the end of March. Another budget meeting is planned for Feb. 13, with a follow-up meeting scheduled for Feb. 27.

• See Related: Average Property Taxes In Livingston Are Among 50 Highest In NJ

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