A move back to April elections, which would give residents a direct vote on the school tax levy, was tabled

What happened

Livingston elects its board at the November general election, which under New Jersey law means residents do not vote on the school budget. On January 22, 2026 the board considered a resolution to move the annual school election back to the third Tuesday in April, restoring that public vote on the general fund levy, and tabled it: the president said it was one of the things the board had been exploring to help with budgets but was not an option for the 2026-27 cycle. The resolution as drafted still contained an unfilled placeholder where the year should have been. The question returned in May, when the superintendent presented three options for 2027-28 - stay as they are under the two percent cap, put a separate spending question to voters, or move the election and the budget vote to April - and board members said keeping the status quo was not in the district's interest, one calling it irresponsible to deny the public the chance to support its schools.

Why it matters to families

Whether residents get to vote on their school taxes is decided by the board, not by residents, and Livingston has now twice discussed handing that vote back. The practical stake is large: a levy vote is what would let the district ask for more than the cap allows.

The evidence

The minutes record: 'They found out this is not an option for the 2026-2027 budget cycle so Resolution 3.1 is being tabled', and the May options paper lists 'Move Board election and budget vote; allows for spending adjustments and additional spending questions if feasible.'

The source