Hillsborough Passes $139M School Budget, Applies For Return Of Cut State Funds

HILLSBOROUGH, NJ — The Hillsborough Board of Education unanimously passed its $139,869,347 budget for 2023-24 at its Monday night meeting.

For an average homeowner in Hillsborough with a home assessed at $496,597, they would see a tax decrease of $346 per year or $29 per month.

For an average homeowner in Millstone with a home assessed at $373,556, they would see a tax decrease of $627 per year or $52 per month.

The budget did not cut any staff or programs and is decreasing taxes despite the district being hit, once again, with a loss of state aid.

"I hope that our state legislatures are able to do something about S2 and make sure that we have a fair funding formula moving forward," said Superintendent Michael Volpe on Monday.

Volpe added that if the district continues to lose funding under the state's S2 funding formula he won't be able to continue to maintain programs and staff in Hillsborough.

"I can't promise that if the state of New Jersey doesn’t intervene and do something in future years," said Volpe. "It is something that needs to be seriously addressed."

The Hillsborough School District was initially set to lose $913,103 in state aid — a decrease of over 4 percent — under aid figures for the 2023-24 school year announced by the New Jersey Department of Education in March. Read More: Hillsborough Schools To Lose 913K In State Aid Next Year

However, a new bill restores two-thirds of funding set to be cut at 161 NJ school districts, including Hillsborough. Read More: Bill Returns $102M To NJ School Districts Hardest-Hit By Proposed Cuts

For Hillsborough, that means $602,650 less to be cut. However, even under the deal, the township school district will still lose $310,456 in state aid. Hillsborough also continues to be the only school district in Somerset County to lose funding year after year. Read More: Hillsborough Is 'Still Fighting For Scraps' Of School Funding

Restoration Of State Funds

To get the two-thirds in funding restored, the district needs to apply for it.

At the Monday meeting, the school board unanimously voted FY2023 Supplemental Stabilization Aid application and acceptance of funds in the amount of $602,650.

Business Administrator Gerald Eckert said the restoration of funds is a one-time, non-recurring thing so the district will apply those funds to non-reoccurring items in the district.

Those items include the High School wood shop dust collection system, purchasing two buses instead of leasing to reduce future lease payments, and renting buses while waiting for the new buses to arrive, said Eckert.

Eckert said the application will be submitted to the state on Tuesday and they expect the money to be deposited in their bank account in the coming weeks.

Have a news tip? Email alexis.tarrazi@patch.com.