$209M Budget Proposed For FRHSD '22-23 School Year

FREEHOLD, NJ — The Freehold Regional High School District introduced a $208.93 million tentative budget for the 2022-23 school year during a BOE meeting on March 10.

The budget will be used to operate high schools in Colts Neck, Freehold Borough, Freehold Township, Howell, Manalapan and Marlboro.

The collection of $146.58 million in taxes from residential and commercial property owners in the district's eight sending municipalities: Colts Neck, Englishtown, Farmingdale, Freehold Borough, Freehold Township, Howell, Manalapan, and Marlboro, would support the 2022-23 budget, according to district administrators.

Gov. Phil Murphy's administration announced the budget for state aid to all municipalities earlier this month. The FRHSD received a $3.5 million reduction in state aid.

During the March 1o meeting, Superintendent of Schools Charles Sampson stated that district administrators were expecting a $6.7 million reduction in state aid, adding, “It is a sad state when you are excited that you were only cut $3.5 million.”

“We don’t know how the district’s reduction was arrived at by the state. In a year that the state borrowed $4 billion, received billions from the federal government and had the audacity to cut some public schools, it’s disgusting. Period,” Sampson said.

The final budget presentation will be put together by Assistant Superintendent for Business Administration Sean Boyce over the coming weeks.

A public hearing on the final budget will be held at Howell High School on April 28.