Flemington-Raritan board approves March 11 special election question to raise local tax levy for 2025–26

The Flemington-Raritan Regional School District Board of Education voted to place a special-voter question on the March 11, 2025 ballot asking registered voters to approve an increase to the districts local tax levy to help cover projected shortfalls in the 202526ndash;26 school-year budget.

Superintendent Dr. McGahn told the board the administration is recommending that voters authorize additional local revenue to avoid further staff reductions and to maintain class sizes and school safety positions. "We are at a crossroads," Dr. McGahn said, describing prior years of reductions and the districts efforts to preserve programming and personnel.

The resolution approved by the board seeks an additional $2,388,749 (an increase beyond the statutory 2% cap) to be collected beginning with the 202526ndash;26 levy and sets the special-election date and logistics. The board approved the exact ballot language and interpretive statement and authorized district officers to forward a certified copy of the resolution to the New Jersey Department of Education and the Hunterdon County Clerks office.

Why it matters: the district says the additional revenue would fund up to 25 teaching positions aimed at keeping elementary and middle-school class sizes near current levels (the administration said class sizes could range from roughly 17 to 24 students if the question passes, and that many homerooms would exceed 25 students without it), five STEM/gifted-and-talented teachers, a class 3 school security officer in each school, and preserve junior varsity athletics and other extracurricular programs.

Budget context and numbers cited at the meeting: Dr. McGahn said the administration initially described a request for about $2.3 million to voters; the formal resolution approved by the board specifies $2,388,749. The superintendent noted the district has reduced more than 30 positions in recent years and that the districts per-pupil spending for the 202324 school year was $19,310, a figure the administration cited to show the district spends less per student than many nearby districts and ranks 30 out of 76 comparable K268 districts in New Jersey.

Logistics and costs: the board set the special election for March 11, 2025, with polling hours from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. The administration told the board a full-day polling option was discussed and estimated the full-day election cost at approximately $78,000 (a half-day option was described as roughly half that cost).

Process and timeline: board members discussed deadlines for submitting ballot language to the county and state. The administration cautioned that changing the question now would likely miss the countys January 10 deadline and push any vote to June, which would force the district to make reductions by a May 15 timeline and then rehire if a later question passed. The board scheduled public town-hall meetings and posted an FAQ on the district website to explain the proposal to voters.

Board members and public discussion: several board members emphasized class-size impacts on instruction and the importance of preserving extracurricular programs for lower-income students who rely on school-provided activities. The superintendent explained class 3 officer staffing began as a prior board decision and that the current line item for those officers is about $350,000. She said the district has sought and received one-year town/municipal support in the past and is pursuing legislative and municipal advocacy for longer-term relief.

Other actions taken at the meeting: the board also voted to adopt the New Jersey School Boards Association Code of Ethics, authorized the board president to sign legal documents and warrants as needed until signatures are processed, and approved the district calendar for 2025. Those motions were approved by roll call votes at the same meeting.

What happens next: district staff will submit the certified resolution and ballot language to the state and Hunterdon County, continue outreach through FAQs and town halls, and monitor enrollment and budget forecasts. If the ballot question is approved by voters on March 11, the additional levy would take effect in the 202526ndash;26 budget; if it does not pass, the administration said it will need to reduce positions and programs as required by timelines for staffing notifications.

Votes at a glance: the board recorded a roll-call approval of the resolution to place the question on the ballot (roll call recorded as "yes" from board members present); the board announced the approval as unanimous during the meeting.

Reported figures and sources: additional levy amount in the approved resolution, $2,388,749; superintendents recommendation figure referenced during discussion, $2,300,000; per-pupil spending cited for 202324, $19,310; estimated line-item cost for class 3 officers, about $350,000; special-election date, March 11, 2025; polling hours, 6 a.m. 26ndash; 8 p.m.; full-day election cost estimate, $78,000. Where the record did not supply a detail, the article reports "not specified."