No Staff Cuts In Lacey’s Tentative School Budget Despite Aid Loss

LACEY, NJ — The Lacey Township School District’s tentative $80.1 million budget for the 2021-22 school year will maintain its current level of staff and programs.

Though state aid is projected to decrease by $1.3 million in the next school year, business administrator Patrick DeGeorge said the decreased cost of transportation for students and benefits in the state health plan have ruled out the possibility of cuts in the district.

“The 2021-22 school year will be the third consecutive year in which our district will lose state aid, losing short of 3.3 million so far,” DeGeorge said during a Board of Education meeting on March 18.

DeGeorge said the tentative budget, with a property tax levy of $50,966,035 just about covers the loss in state aid under S2, and the required 2 percent increase in the levy.

The school tax rate has increased from 1.352 to 1.369. For an average homeowner with a home assessed at $281,265, they would see a tax increase of $72.99 per year or $6.08 each month.

The proposed budget includes the cost of updating the district's outdated fire and access alarm systems, and the increased substitute teaching staff.

“This tentative budget was built without the loss of either programs or staff,” DeGeorge said. “One huge help is the aforementioned decrease in the cost of benefits and transportation. That’s huge to do what we have done without eliminating programs or staff."

The submission of a tentative budget is a required step in the process of approving a school budget each year.

The final public hearing and school board vote on the budget is scheduled for May 6.

"We will continue to seek ways to increase revenue or decrease appropriations between now and the May 6 public hearing where we will present the final budget," DeGeorge said.

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