BRICK – The Brick Township School District hopes to gain more state funding for the 2025-26 school budget by applying to the new Tax Levy Incentive Aid program.
In the state’s proposed budget, certain districts qualify and have the opportunity to apply to increase expenditures, including an allocation of Tax Levy Incentive Aid, if spending is under adequacy.
A district’s spending is under adequacy because they are not spending what the state says they should to provide a thorough and efficient education. “Thorough and efficient” is a state definition, mandated by the New Jersey Constitution, based on what Trenton thinks a district of their size should be spending.
Additionally, districts qualify to apply for the Tax Levy Incentive Aid program if their property tax levy is below the local fair share.
According to the district, Brick Township Schools is eligible for the program. Superintendent Thomas Farrell said that Brick is $28 million under adequacy and $48 million under the local fair share.
In addition to these calculations, the state will kick in an additional 5% in a form of state aid for any district that utilizes part of this program.
The tentative budget for the 2025-26 school year is $166,132,25, which will be supported by $130,606,297 in taxes.
Brick Township Board of Education held a special meeting on April 7 to approve an application submission to the state to increase its expenditures.
The agenda states that the school is “eligible to increase expenditures by $41,030,494 and qualify for Tax Levy Incentive Aid in the amount of $1,000,000.”
Furthermore, the Board of Education is requesting the approval to increase expenditures “up to $5,500,000 to support operations that if not supported would have a negative impact on the district’s ability to satisfy the State thoroughness and efficiency standards.”
In addition, the agenda noted that the resolution is “not a vote to raise taxes but rather a vote to apply for additional revenues through a state tax levy incentive program.”
All members of the Brick Board of Education voted in favor to approve the application submission. Now they must wait for approval from the state before making any adjustments to the tax levy.
The board will hold a public hearing on the 2025-26 budget on May 6 at 7 p.m. (originally scheduled April 28) at the Professional Development Center on Hendrickson Boulevard.
