A 6.4 percent rise in the operating levy, a $5.6 million health-care waiver, and benefits jumping to 38 percent of salaries

What happened

Livingston is the mirror image of a state-funded district: the local tax levy is $136,638,078 of about $151 million in general fund revenue, 90.5 percent, with state aid of $11.03 million and a further cut of $49,237 in aid for 2026-27. To balance the budget the board used a health care adjustment waiver of $5,611,079, which is the mechanism that lets a district exceed the two percent levy cap for insurance costs, plus a technology fee rise from $30 to $35 and bond refunding. The operating levy rises 6.37 percent, offset by a 21.6 percent fall in the debt service levy, for a net 5.18 percent, about $478 a year on the average home assessed at $738,359. Employee benefits go from 29.86 to 38.42 percent of salaries. The insurance increase itself was quoted first at 25 percent, then 33 percent across medical, prescription and dental, and finally reported as 26 percent for the private plan year.

Why it matters to families

In a district where nine in ten dollars come from local taxpayers, a levy rise above the cap has to be justified by something, and here it is insurance. That is also what paid for the cuts: the same numbers that raise the bill by $478 a year abolish 37 posts.

The evidence

The budget presentation records 'A balanced tentative 2026-2027 budget will be presented on the March 24, 2026 agenda which will include: $5,611,079 of health care waiver adjustment, Operating tax levy of 6.37%, Decrease in debt service tax levy of 21.61%' and 'Employee Benefits as % of Salaries - 8.56% increase due to very high projected health benefits cost increase'.

The source