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April 25, 2023
UPDATE: On April 25, 2023, Westfield voters approved the 2023-2024 School District Operating Budget. The Union County Board of County Canvassers certified the results on May 8.
At its meeting on March 28, 2023, the Westfield Board of Education adopted the final School District Operating Budget for the 2023-2024 school year, as approved by the Executive County Superintendent.
The budget now goes before Westfield voters on Tuesday, April 25. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
On this website, we hope to provide Westfield voters with all of the information they will need to make an informed decision on April 25. Please visit all of the pages on this Budget portal for details, FAQ, a list of community engagement sessions, and more.
There will be TWO questions regarding the 2023-2024 school district budget on the April 25 ballot.
The total proposed tax increase for the average Westfield homeowner to support the 2023-2024 school district operating budget would be 4.84% or $444 annually ($37 per month).
As further explained in the Details / Resources , Ballot Questions, and FAQ sections of this website:
Question 1 includes the portion of the base school district operating budget at a 3.95% tax levy cap which reflects State Aid and eligible adjustments and includes all existing staff and programs, along with enhancements to the state/federally-mandated English as a Second Language (ESL) Program.
If the 1st question is not approved, this portion of the base budget goes to the Town Council who can make line-item changes, in consultation with the Board of Education, in order to reduce the tax levy, which may impact existing staffing and programs.
Question 2 seeks an additional 0.89% increase to the tax levy for additional staffing for the district’s academic support and school counseling programs.
If the 2nd question is not approved, those proposed additional expenditures would not be implemented and could not be reallocated for the 2023-2024 school district operating budget.
At its meeting on June 21, 2022, the Westfield Board of Education approved a resolution to move the Board election from November to April and to present the 2023-2024 school budget to Westfield residents for a vote. This decision to return to requiring the voters of Westfield to make another trip to the polls every April was not one that was made lightly.
At its meeting on June 21, 2022, the Westfield Board of Education approved a resolution to move the Board election from November to April and to present the 2023-2024 school budget to Westfield residents for a vote. This decision to return to requiring the voters of Westfield to make another trip to the polls every April was not one that was made lightly.
However, if the Board and the District have learned anything from the 2022-2023 budget cycle, it is that the current funding formula with a 2% tax levy cap is unsustainable if the district is to continue offering our students the quality education that Westfield parents and residents have come to expect of the Westfield Public Schools. While we have been able to maintain our programs over the years, we have not been able to grow those programs or expand our academic offerings.
This approach to move beyond the previously mandated 2% tax levy cap is the only way to maintain the district's staff and programs and to expand on the Tradition of Excellence on which Westfield families have long relied.
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