Legislators continue push for extra school funding
Freehold Borough spending is below state's T&E standard
BY CLARE MARIE CELANO
Staff Writer

FREEHOLD - Three state legislators are still working to secure the funds necessary to give Freehold Borough public school children a thorough and efficient (T&E) education.

According to figures provided by borough school administrators, the borough is spending significantly less per pupil than what state education officials say is necessary to provide a through and efficient education.

The effort to get more money to the school district is taking place now as the state Senate and Assembly are working to develop a budget for the coming fiscal year.

State Sen. Ellen Karcher (D-Monmouth and Mercer), Assemblyman Michael Panter (D-Monmouth and Mercer) and Assemblywoman Jennifer Beck (R-Monmouth and Mercer) are working to do what parents and school administrators have not been able to muster on their own - acquire the funds necessary to have the children of the borough stand alongside their counterparts in surrounding school districts on equal footing.

School board President Jim Keelan has said the borough's children are being denied their constitutional right to a thorough and efficient education.

Karcher said she has introduced several pieces of legislation to help alleviate the crisis. She has crafted a budget resolution which will be made public on June 6 and ask for $1.2 million for Freehold Borough schools to make up for the district's shortfall.

"I am also in negotiations with the governor's office to see what his office would be willing to support," the senator said.

Karcher has also submitted legislation asking all 21 of New Jersey's county seats to provide funding equal to the value of what local municipalities are losing in taxes on tax exempt property in the county seat. She is also asking for county seats to make a payment in lieu of taxes to help ease the school funding situation.

The senator is working with the Department of Education and has crafted legislation that would automatically bring all school districts that are below the state's financial requirement for a thorough and efficient education up to the standard. This bill is the Senate companion to legislation Beck has crafted in the Assembly.

"We are all working hard," Karcher said. "Freehold Borough is unique. There is the inability to raise more money in this small town with so many properties dedicated to the county. The other factor will be the inequality of students to compete when they reach high school. We believe the state will say they recognize the value of education and that they realize funding these schools is an important cause."

Beck said she will introduce a budget resolution that would appropriate $8.4 million to the Department of Education to provide aid to school districts in which the thorough and efficient spending per pupil is less than the minimum amount set under the state's school funding laws.

"I felt it was important to bring Senate Committee Chairman (Bernard) Kenny as well as other state budget officials to the table to discuss the financial burden that is making it nearly impossible for certain school districts in New Jersey to achieve their educational goals and to realize their missions as institutions for learning," Beck said. "I also think it is vital that I introduce legislation that brings all schools up to the minimum thorough and efficient standard."

According to Beck, the 12 school districts that would receive extra financial assistance under her proposal are Hamilton Township (Atlantic County), Hammonton, Brooklawn, Clementon, Woodlynne, Commercial Township, Freehold Borough, Lawrence Township (Cumberland County), Guttenberg, South River, Prospect Park and Greenwich Township (Warren County).

"It is impossible for these school districts to function properly under the dire financial circumstances," Beck said. "At the very least we need to make certain that every school is being funded at the minimum standard set by the state."

Panter has also introduced legislation to bring Freehold Borough and other school districts up to an acceptable funding level. He introduced two bills to ease the burden on some of the school districts that fall below the per pupil standard for a thorough and efficient education.

"This appropriation is vital to the future of students, teachers and administrators throughout the state who live or work in districts that do not qualify for Abbott funding, yet still fall below the acceptable per pupil spending amounts guaranteed in our state constitution, and are still judged by the same standards as students in more comfortable districts," Panter said.

The Abbott funding Panter mentioned refers to the so-called Abbott school districts which receive most of their funding directly from the state, rather than from local property taxes. There are 31 Abbott districts in New Jersey, including four in Monmouth County - Asbury Park, Keansburg, Long Branch and Neptune.

"A number of factors, many unique to the Freehold Borough schools, have contributed to the current fiscal situation and subsequent budget deficit there. Enrollment has increased nearly 400 percent in the last 10 years (to 1,400 pupils), which would be very difficult for even the wealthiest school districts to effectively accommodate," Panter said.

"In addition, Monmouth County government owns a considerable amount of real estate in the borough, all of which is exempt from local tax levies. If this property were included in the borough's revenue base it would bring an additional $500,000 a year, nearly 50 percent of the district's current shortfall.

"I met twice with Budget Committee Chairman Lou Greenwald and feel encouraged at this point that he is very knowledgeable about the uniqueness of the borough," Panter said. "I feel he recognizes the fact that few school districts in the state, if any, are facing the unique set of challenges that the borough is."