Schools Superintendent Mike Volpe delivered a tentative 2025-26 budget that he’s “not proud of.”
“We still have factors working against us from the state formula to the 2 percent cap,” he said at the Hillsborough Board of Education meeting on March 17.
A public hearing and final adoption of the $153.93 million spending plan is scheduled for April 28.
School taxes are one item on a property owner’s total tax bill, which also includes municipal taxes and county taxes.
The school budget process is a process that begins in October of every year. Up until the public hearing, school officials will continue to seek feedback from residents.
“We want to be clear, open, honest, and transparent,” Volpe said.
The main drivers of the budget continue to be salary and benefits – 80% of the total general fund budget; transportation – 7% of the total general fund budget; buildings and grounds – 4% of the total general fund budget; and special education – 3% of the total general fund budget, according to Business Administrator Gerald Eckert.
The tentative general fund totals $149.80 million, up $1.43 million from last year. This includes grants and entitlements, up $32,112 and debt service, up $8,500, for a total of $153.93 million.
The district will see a reduction in state aid of $535,000. There will be an increase in tax levy allocations by the 2% cap and the benefits waiver.
“In order to keep Hillsborough, Hillsborough, each and every year we go above 2 percent,” Volpe said. “That’s automatic just by existing, just by who we are. Our prices are more than 2 percent.”
Volpe said as he sat down with Eckert to look where they could balance the budget, it came down to items that “really, really bothers me.”
“The main reason is not just the two percent cap, it’s what has happened to Hillsborough when it comes to state aid,” he said of potential cuts. “Since 2019-20, we have lost $7.5 million in our baseline of state aid and in that time period it equates to $26 million.”
And despite the lesser amount of state aid cuts this next school year than last school year, it’s still “a slap in the face.”
“The state slapped me in the face five times last year and slapped me in the face twice this year and told me that’s good you didn’t get slapped as much as you did last year,” Volpe said.
“Getting slapped in the face is getting slapped in the face, it doesn’t matter if it’s five times or two times.”
The proposed cuts to make the budget work include:
- Removing proposed high school rekeying project
- Lease Purchasing Security and Tech Upgrades
- Reducing Link it Assessments
- Removing placeholders for planning services related to redistricting
- Reinstating Pay to Play
- Courtesy busing
- Funds being reserved for full-day kindergaten
- Middle School sports
- 24 positions – including some by attrition and retirement that will not be filled, along with existing staff. This combination will include certificated staff, support staff, HEA (Hillsborough Education Association) staff, unaffiliated staff, and administration.
Details will be finalized before the final budget on April 28.
