Robbinsville voters will vote on a public question on Nov. 7 that would allow the school district to raise an additional $4.8 million in tax revenue.
School officials say the funds are needed to cover expected deficits in upcoming school budgets—state aid did not increase this year, and is anticipated to be cut next year.
As a result, the district needs to increase taxes over the mandated tax cap. State law requires municipalities and school districts to ask for voter approval if they want to increase taxes more than 2%.
The $4.8 million is over that cap. If approved, the funding will be taxed over the next 18 months and are a permanent increase in the tax levy.
The ballot question was approved by the Robbinsville School Board at a special meeting on Aug. 9. During the session, Superintendent Brian Betze made a case to the board and members of the public as to why the referendum is necessary.
“If we don’t do anything, this district is going off a financial cliff starting Nov. 7, Betze said.
If the referendum is rejected by voters it will likely result in teacher layoffs, larger class sizes and cuts to courses, courtesy busing, sports and extracurricular programs, Betze said.
It could also mean elimination of kindergarten or going from full-day to half-day kindergarten.
“We do not have an expense problem,” Betze said. “We have a revenue problem. For instance, Princeton public schools are a little bit bigger—we are 3,100 students and they are about 3,500 or 3,600 students, but their budget is so much higher than ours, because Princeton has 30,000 residents and Robbinsville has 16,000. Princeton has a larger pool and the same size district.”
If the referendum is approved, the estimated tax increase on a home with an assessed valuation of $379,458 (the average value of a Robbinsville residence) is projected to be $348 in 2024, $699 in 2025 and $709 in 2026.
That increase is $91.64 per $100,000 of assessed valuation in 2024, $184.16 in 2025, and $186.87 in 2026.
Betze said the issue is one that has been ongoing for years.
“It’s come to a head this year because of COVID, the money running out… (In the past) we’ve been able to do things and patch this together, but there are no more patches. There are no more levers to pull. These revenue challenges are not going away.”
Debt service payments are one major problem, particularly for the high school. “The debt is killing this district and has been since they built this building (the board of education meeting was in RHS). That’s a huge payment. The debt, though, comes off in four years. So we need to make it to that point.”
Other major expenses are salary and benefit increases, transportation costs and the cost of maintaining buildings and grounds.
The referendum will not pay for any new expenditures. “This public question does not add anything,” Betze said. People may ask, ‘What am I going to get for $4.8 million?’ You’re not getting a pool. You’re not getting the tennis courts fixed. You’re not getting new programs. You’re getting exactly what we have now, and that’s stinks. But that’s the reality of this.”
“Our principals could give you a list of things they’ve been wanting for a long time,” Betze added. “We just can’t afford it. The $4.8 million keeps it status quo. It fills this hole for one or two more years, depending on state aid.”
Robbinsville High School Principal Molly Avery said the situation has been a “long time coming.”
“This is about the health and welfare of our kids and our school district, and I implore everyone in this room who supports this referendum… We are in some dire times, and I really hope that we do what we can to get this done.”
Paul Gizzo, principal of Pond Road Middle School, said that some people might think that the district is employing scare taxes when it talks about the cuts necessary if the referendum fails.
“I look at those numbers up there, and if they come to me and said, ‘Paul, you need to cut this much money from Pond Road Middle School,’ it’s not a scare tactic. Sports would be gone. The (high school) play would be gone. And we would be looking at middle school class sizes in the mid to upper 30s. That’s what those cuts mean.”
School officials will be engaging with the community about the upcoming referendum, encouraging residents to learn more, ask questions and spread the word to ensure strong voter participation on Nov. 7.
The school district website, robbinsville.k12.nj.us, will be regularly updated with the latest information about the referendum.
The Robbinsville Public Schools prides itself on its exceptional staff, diverse programs, valuable resources, vibrant athletics, and enriching clubs. The proposed funding – if approved by voters – will allow the district to safeguard these vital components, ensuring that students continue to receive an exceptional, diverse education.
The school district is facing a projected $2.1 million shortfall in fixed costs and an additional $2.7 million cut in state aid, amounting to a combined $4.8 million deficit for the 2024-25 school year. The public question, with voter approval, will bridge this anticipated financial gap and prevent any adverse impacts to educational offerings.
This district has been just operating on a dime. The principals will tell you that they’ve been screaming at me for three years. This has been going on for a long time before I got here, before these poor members got here.
“By securing the $4.8 million, we can confidently plan for the next two years, knowing that the district’s financial needs are met,” the superintendent added. “Our goal is to ensure stability and maintain the high standards of education that our community expects and deserves. We want to assure you that every dollar allocated from the proposed funding will be used wisely and prudently. Transparency and accountability are the core of our values.”
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