Caldwell-West Caldwell School Budget Means Tax Increase (For Some)

CALDWELL, NJ — The Caldwell-West Caldwell School District presented its 2017-18 budget during a public hearing on Monday. The budget would mean a 2.54 percent overall tax levy increase for local property owners, administrators said.

According to a district news release, all major educational programs will be maintained for 2017-18. See the district’s full budget presentation here.

“The impact on taxpayers in Caldwell and West Caldwell differs due to the equalized valuations,” Caldwell-West Caldwell Business Administrator Thomas Lambe said.

“Because West Caldwell’s valuations increased by 6.79% in 2017 and Caldwell’s decreased by 2.02%, the portion of the school budget tax levy paid by West Caldwell will increase and the portion paid by Caldwell will decrease,” Lambe said. “Including debt service, therefore, for the 2017-18 school year, the average-priced home in Caldwell will see a decrease of $410 and the average-priced home in West Caldwell will see an increase of $295.”

Lambe noted that the average annual growth rate of the school budget tax levy from 2010-11 to 2017-18 has been 2.13%.

The Caldwell-West Caldwell district has the seventh-lowest cost per pupil and the seventh-lowest administrative cost per pupil, in Essex County, Lambe said.

• See related article: North Caldwell Considering Multi-Million School Expansion Project

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