Westwood Regional Schools Face $3M Deficit: Tax Hikes and Staff Cuts Proposed to Save Budget
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Westwood NJ, The Westwood Regional Board of Education is navigating a fiscal storm. At a recent meeting on March 24, 2026, the district introduced a $78.9 million budget designed to plug a massive $3 million hole caused primarily by skyrocketing healthcare costs.
For the roughly 2,800 students and their families in Westwood and Washington Township, the proposed plan includes a mix of staff reductions and a tax levy increase that exceeds the typical state cap.
The “Why” Behind the 6.7% Tax Hike
New Jersey law generally caps school tax increases at 2%. However, Westwood Regional is utilizing a healthcare waiver to propose a 6.7% tax levy increase.
The culprit? A brutal surge in insurance premiums.
-
32% Increase: Initial health insurance premium hikes (originally proposed at 46% by Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield).
-
25% Jump: Rising costs for prescription benefits.
-
33% Surge: Increased costs for out-of-district tuition for special education.
Superintendent Patrick McQueeney noted that while media pressure helped negotiate the premium hike down slightly to 30%, the district still faces a multi-million dollar gap that the tax increase alone cannot cover.
Where the Cuts Are Coming From
To balance the scales, the board is looking at reducing 10 administrative and teaching positions. The district’s strategy is to minimize “pink slips” by focusing on:
-
Natural Attrition: Not filling roles left vacant by retirements or resignations.
-
Shifting Focus: Reassigning existing staff to cover essential programs.
-
Trimming the “Nice-to-Haves”: The budget pauses the purchase of new student Chromebooks and groundskeeping equipment.
“No programs were cut,” Superintendent McQueeney assured the community. “We are looking at where we can shift staff focus without minimizing the program.”
Investing to Save: The Autism Program Expansion
In a strategic move to prevent future deficits, the district is moving forward with an autism program at the high school level.
While this requires an upfront investment, it is designed to save the district hundreds of thousands of dollars in the long run. By keeping students in-district, Westwood avoids out-of-district placement costs that typically range between $150,000 and $200,000 per child.
What’s Next for Taxpayers?
The budget is not yet set in stone. Residents are encouraged to attend the upcoming final hearing:
-
Event: Public Budget Hearing & Final Board Vote
-
Date: Tuesday, April 30, 2026
-
Focus: A detailed breakdown of exactly how much individual property tax bills will increase.
Join the new Saddle River Valley, Ramapo and Pascack Valley Communities Facebook group
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1931704860512551/
#news #follow #media #trending #viral #newsupdate #currentaffairs #BergenCountyNews #NJBreakingNews #NJHeadlines #NJTopStories
-
Tags: #WestwoodNJ #WashingtonTownship #BergenCounty #NJSchools #TaxAlert #EducationNews #PublicBudget
NJ Health Care Plan is in a death spiral.
The healthy groups left, the sick ones remain.
That has nothing to do with anything. NJ politicians consistently and invariably cave to NJEA demands, knowing full well, that’s where their next campaign largess is going to come from, thanks to the schmuck taxpayers who keep voting Democrats into power.
Yet, nobody with any balls turns to the NJEA to tell them their members have to shoulder the burden.
In fairness, the teachers don’t seem to realize they are shouldering the burden. Money spent on health care is not available for wages.
Your reply makes zero sense. I just hope and pray you’re not a teacher.