Tax Increase For Some In Tentative Parsippany School Budget

PARSIPPANY, NJ — The Parsippany-Troy Hills Township School District recently presented its proposed school budget for 2023–24, which includes a tax increase for town residents.

The proposed budget of $182,797,702 for the 2023-24 school year is an increase of 3.8 percent over the 2022-23 budget, which was roughly $175,995,731.

The presentation on the proposed budget was given by the superintendent of schools, Barbara Sargent.

Sargent emphasized the importance of taxes in the annual school budget, stating that local taxes fund more than 80 percent of the school budget.

For an average homeowner in Parsippany with a home assessed at $313,063, they would see a tax increase of $123 per year.

Sargent pointed out that even though the preliminary budget does include a tax increase, all programs and services are maintained. The budget's stated purpose was to "provide adequate funding that does not diminish current services to students, including facilities, security and support of the goals of the strategic plan."

The budget also includes a more than $1 million increase in state funding under aid figures for the 2023-24 school year, announced earlier this month by the New Jersey Department of Education.

The additional special education staff includes:

• Two teachers for MD classrooms
• 1.6 resource room teachers
• One preschool disabled teacher
• One BCBA
• One speech therapist
• One occupational therapist
• One social worker

Other capital improvements included in the budget are window replacements at Parsippany High School and Brooklawn Middle School, HVAC replacement, and chairlift replacements at Mt Tabor School, among other things.

The increase in the budget could be linked to the increases in:

• Employee benefits: $29,730,322
• Support Services: $21,571386
• Transportation: $9,535,683

Instruction accounts for 42 percent of the budget, while employee benefits take up 16 percent, transportation takes up 5 percent and support services are 12 percent.

The school board will revisit the budget on March 23 and April 13 in order to maintain complete transparency with the community, with the final vote and public hearing taking place on April 27.