The Livingston Board of Education unanimously approved the proposed budget for the 2024-25 school year at its April 30 meeting. The budget included a total tax increase of 5.75 percent, or $6,728,883. This total increase comes from a two percent base tax increase, 0.72 percent in enrollment adjustments, and 3.04 percent of banked capital. This does not exceed the state imposed tax cap. Thomas Lambe, the Board’s business administrator, saidthatthiswould be a tax increase of $558 for the average township home priced at $721,238.Other highlights for the finalized budget include that all programs currently in place will remain so for the upcoming school year. This budget included $830,064 in enrollment waivers and 3.04 percent of banked capital, or $3,541,737. The district switching health benefits, effective as of May 1, allowed for over $900,000 in additional savings. 154 other appropriation lines were also reduced, accounting for an additional $4.3 million.Looking forward to the 2025-26 budget, $842,473 of unused banked capital will be available, for a tax levy cap of 2.68 percent.A special budget question will appear on the November 2025 ballot. This will be seeking voter approval to go above that tax levy cap.After the conclusion of Lambe’s presentation, the Board all voted yes, effectively finalizing the budget for the upcoming school year.Calendar AmendmentsDuring his report, Matthew Block, superintendent of schools, spoke of an amendment to the 2024-25 calendar. As previously reported, the Livingston Education Association leadership spoke with the Board about banking an additional snow day as a precautionary measure to secure both February andApril breaks. The Board approved having having both August 28 and 29 serve as full professional development days for all staff. As of this vote, the students’ first day of school will be Tuesday, September 3.At this meeting, the Board formally voted in and welcomed Daniel Fishbein as the Livingston Public Schools interim superintendent for the upcoming academic year, effective July 1.The Board will next meet in executive session on May 7, and then again for a public session workshop meeting on May 14. Highlights for upcoming meetings will include another conference with the Livingston Education Association and the end-of-year district goals report.
