Fair Lawn homeowners will see a $21.26 monthly tax increase after the Board of Education adopted its 2026-2027 school budget on April 30, in a 6-3 vote. Rita Fayvelevich, Lyudmila Koroleva, and Wilkin Santana dissented. The $144.6 million budget addresses a significant 39% rise in health insurance costs, primarily driven by increases from Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield, which translates to a $5.3 million increase for the district.
The budget, initially presented on March 26, incorporates a 3.27% tax levy increase for the K-12 district, which serves roughly 5,700 students. For an average borough home assessed at $389,000, this equates to an annual tax increase of $255.
Superintendent Rui Dionisio noted that despite the financial pressures, the approved budget preserves all current teaching positions and maintains existing class sizes. Resident Erica Ruppert praised the board for managing to keep tax increases relatively small while preserving the integrity of the school system. Ruppert also commented on the behavior of dissenting board members, suggesting their focus was more on obstruction than fiscal responsibility.
Before the vote, dissenting member Fayvelevich voiced concerns regarding the borough attorney's $63,000 billing to the board over the past two months, as well as an additional $50,000 allocated for legal fees within the budget.