Tax Decrease For Bridgewater, Increase For Raritan Proposed In 2023-24 School Budget

BRIDGEWATER, NJ — Bridgewater-Raritan Regional Board of Education presented its proposed school budget for 2023-24 on March 16 which includes a tax decrease for Bridgewater residents and an increase for Raritan residents.

The proposed budget of $175,851,447 for the 2023-24 school year is an increase of 2.26 percent over the 2022-23 budget which was roughly $171 million.

The preliminary budget was approved by all of the board members except for Langfang "Lucy" Li.

For an average homeowner in Bridgewater Township with a home assessed at $516,941, they would see a tax decrease of $56.86 per $100,000 of assessment.

For an average homeowner in Raritan Borough with a home assessed at $322,698, they would see a tax increase of $39.26 per 100,000 of assessment.

Business Administrator Peter Starrs attributed the increase and the decrease to the annual assessment values of homes in the respective towns. For example, he said Bridgewater's assessed value increased 6.8 percent while Raritan had a slight reduction in the equalized evaluation.

Starrs also pointed to a number of factors for the increase in the budget including a 7.6 percent increase in health benefits; 9.1 percent increase for maintenance, operation and utilities (due to a contract increase with Aramark, and an increased sewer bill that jumped $400,000 alone), .85 percent increase for transportation; 10.6 percent increase for the tuition of out-of-district placements.

Starrs also noted the district would be losing 11 employees through "attrition and enrollment numbers."

Assistant Superintendent Dr. Dan Fonder noted that the declining enrollment caused the loss of employees. However, he added that the loss is coming from staff members retiring or leaving the district. The district then is deciding not to fill those positions.

The district is also adding four staff members with two at the high school for theater and alternative and two at the intermediate level for behavioral disability classrooms.

Included in the budget are a number of projects to the district facilities, which Starrs said are not included in the referendum.

"This is all, again, things that are not included in the referendum and are part of our annual work that we do on an annual basis and try to continue the upkeep of the facilities," said Starrs.

Those projects include Crim School repaving and drainage improvements, BRHS loop road repaving, Roof replacements at BRHS building 500 and 600, JFK and Eisenhower Fire Alarm replacement, BRHS auditorium sound and lighting, BRHS gym bleachers, and BRHS outdoor patio creation.

The preliminary budget will now be submitted to the county office for approval. A public hearing and vote on the final budget is scheduled for April 25.

Watch the full budget presentation below (It begins around the 1:14:20 mark):

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