Westwood Regional proposes 6.82% tax‑levy increase to cover soaring health‑care and utility costs; staffing reductions included

The Westwood Regional Board of Education presented a proposed 2026–27 budget that would increase the district’s tax levy by 6.82% to cover sharply higher employee health‑insurance premiums and rising utilities, administrators said at the board meeting.

Superintendent Dr. McQueeny and business administrator Mr. Rosado said the district—where roughly 75% of appropriations go to staff salaries and benefits—faced consecutive increases in health premiums and other operating costs that together produced a budget shortfall. Mr. Rosado said the district left the state health plan in 2023 to secure private coverage and short‑term savings; nevertheless, premiums rose substantially in 2024–25 and 2025–26, with this year’s increase described as “well over $3 million.” He told trustees that returning to the state plan would have increased premiums by an estimated $2.5 million compared with current costs.

To balance the budget without cutting core academic programs, administrators proposed a mix of actions: eliminating four central‑office administrative positions (three directors and one assistant director), up to 10 teaching and secretarial positions largely filled by retirements or resignations, and greater role restructuring to create two district supervisor posts (a district supervisor of language arts, which will also oversee preschool, and a supervisor of school counseling). Dr. McQueeny said the supervisor model places content specialists “closer to the classroom” and that academic and extracurricular programs would be maintained or expanded in targeted areas, including a three‑and‑a‑half‑position expansion of the high school autism program.

Facilities and capital spending remain in the proposal. Board members were told HVAC projects have been completed at several schools and will continue (George School this summer; phased work at Berkeley School and later the high school). The district also identified a $183,000 vendor credit that will be applied to camera and security system upgrades.

On taxation, Mr. Rosado explained the 2% cap for boards that hold April–November elections and the statutory waivers that allow a district to exceed 2%—including a health‑benefit waiver for premium increases above 2%—as the principal mechanism for the 6.82% levy request. After applying capital reserve offsets the administration said the net change to the levy would be about 6.69%.

Trustees pressed for details about why the Township of Washington’s tax burden differs from Westwood’s, whether declining subgroup enrollment could reduce revenue, and how large utility‑cost increases might be. Administrators said allocation is based on state equalized valuations, that overall district enrollment is “flat” though some subgroups have shifted, and that electricity projections remain uncertain as HVAC upgrades come online.

The board moved on and passed bundled motions to approve multiple administrative, personnel and finance agenda items by roll call later in the meeting. The administration said it will post the full budget documents after the meeting and continue monitoring projections—cautioning that health‑care cost pressure could persist into the next fiscal year.

What’s next: The budget document will be posted publicly and the board will follow statutory timelines for hearings and adoption; administrators warned trustees to expect continued fiscal pressure in the coming year.