Without the funds, the district says it will cut eight teaching positions and scale back programs.
Something had to give. Lopatcong Township taxpayers decided it won't be them.
Instead, eight teachers will be cut and programs scaled back after township voters on Tuesday rejected a referendum seeking a $600,000 increase in the school tax levy by nearly a 2-1 margin.
School officials sighed deeply and shook their heads when county election officials presented unofficial results just before 10 p.m. at the township municipal building -- 392 votes in favor of the tax increase, 747 against.
"It's obviously disappointing and devastating for the children," Superintendent Rainie Roncoroni said. "We'll continue to do our best to provide a quality education for our children. But it's devastating."
With the referendum's failure, seven general and special education positions along with one music teacher will be cut from the coming year's budget. It also means elementary school band and the gifted and talented program will be scaled back and class sizes will increase.
The question sought to permanently increase the district's tax levy by $600,000 to preserve programs and replenish a depleted financial reserve that was tapped to cover rising tuition costs of sending students to Phillipsburg High School.
Lopat families dabble in the arts (PHOTOS)
Administrators and board members have said the tuition increase -- more than 200 percent in eight years -- is due to a variety of reasons. A state-imposed 2 percent annual cap on the budget is insufficient to cover the rising costs, officials said, so money either had to be made up from a tax increase or program cuts.
The district's elementary school and middle school serve 874 students.
Lopatcong voters also rejected a school referendum in 2014. That one sought $355,000 to expand kindergarten to a full-day program.
Steve Novak may be reached at snovak@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @type2supernovak. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.