BELLEVILLE, NJ — The Belleville Public School District has begun hammering out its annual budget, which may come with a property tax increase for homeowners – although it’s not clear what the final number will be.
The board of trustees voted 5-2 to approve the district’s preliminary 2025-2026 spending plan at their meeting on March 17.
Matthew Paladino, the district’s business administrator, said the potential increase for the school portion of a property owner’s taxes currently stands at $358.
Paladino said that some increases which are driving this year’s budget include out of district transportation costs (between $4 million and $5 million), special education costs for sending students out of district, health care and salary increases ($2.8 million for the coming academic year).
The budget is still in its early stages and is expected to see changes before it gets a final green light, a point that Paladino repeated throughout the meeting.
Several trustees said they are voting on the tentative budget with the understanding that it will look different when it returns for final approval – and come with a lower price tag for homeowners.
“After today it’s really time for everybody here on the board and for the administration staff to take out the sickles … chop off wherever we can,” Vice President Michael Derro said.
Other details of the preliminary budget approved last week include:
Use of Banked Cap – “Be it resolved that the Belleville Board of Education includes in the proposed budget the adjustment for banked cap in accordance with N.J.A.C. 6A:23A-10.1(b). The district has fully exhausted all eligible statutory spending authority and must increase the base budget in the amount of $1,750,000 for the purpose of assisting with costs associated with supplies and materials, contractual commitments, rising energy, transportation and tuition costs. The district intends to complete said purposes by June 2026.”
Use of Health Care Adjustment – “Be it resolved that the Belleville Board of Education includes in the proposed budget a Health Care Costs adjustment as calculated in the budget software and pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:7F-38 subsection (d) in the amount of $1,305,378. The additional funds will be used to pay for the additional increases in health care premiums.”
Capital Reserve Withdrawal – Other Capital Projects – “Be it resolved that included in the general fund appropriations, budget line 620 is a withdrawal from Capital Reserve – Other Capital Projects in the amount of $4,500,000 for other capital project costs of New Windows in the Gym School 8, New MS Boiler, Repaving of School 8 and 10 Parking Lots, replace all Classroom Doors for Safety Purposes at MS, and Replace Elementary Classroom doors throughout all elementary schools. The total cost of these project is $4,500,000 which represents expenditures for construction elements or projects that are in addition to the facilities efficiency standards determined by the Commissioner as necessary to achieve the New Jersey Student Learning Standards.”
A public hearing on the budget is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Monday, April 28 at Belleville High School, 100 Passaic Avenue.
Watch footage from the March 17 meeting below (video is cued to the budget presentation and vote).
Property taxes in New Jersey are mainly made up of three parts: school, municipal and county. Here’s how that played out in Belleville for 2024, according to state data:
The average Belleville resident paid $11,273 in property taxes on a home valued at $279,525 last year.
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