HILLSDALE—The Board of Education introduced a nearly $29 million preliminary 2024–2025 school budget on March 18 that will increase an average homeowner’s property taxes by $267 yearly, said district officials.
After introduction, the budget was sent to the Bergen County Executive Superintendent of Schools for review and approval before advertising. A public hearing, and likely adoption, is expected at the Thursday, April 25 meeting at Meadowbrook Elementary School.
The total preliminary 2024–2025 budget was $28,819,606, with a general tax levy of $24,591,031 to be paid by local taxpayers.
During budget introduction, Vice President Salvatore Sileo said, “I’m pleased to announce the (budget) proposal was balanced while reducing the amount of budgeted funds for the upcoming school year.”
“As always, with an increase in cost for special education programs, transportation, salaries and benefits, a sound fiscal plan was necessary and [BOE president] Mr. Saxon and I were pleased with the presentation made by the administration and how the district plans to combat these challenging and growing concerns,” Sileo said.
“As we look toward the upcoming school year, we note that the continued conservative budgeting and sound planning, the Hillsdale district will have another successful year,” Sileo added.
Sileo and Saxon thanked business administrator and board secretary Sacha Pouliot for his w work on the budget.
Pouliot told Pascack Press that the “average” assessed home was $476,107, and based on the local tax levy impact, the budget’s annual tax increase was $22.24 monthly, or $266.88 yearly.
Pouliot told us, “Preliminary budget submissions allow districts to submit a proposed budget for the purpose of county review. They are not final and they cannot predict how the district will fare for the remainder of the current 2023–2024 school year.”
He added, “Districts are not required to post preliminary budgets, but are required to post the district’s user-friendly budget within 48 hours following its approval. A presentation detailing the tax impact to the average assessed homeowner and the budget details, both for the current year and future year, will be offered at our upcoming April BOE meeting.”