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Read about and see GSCS parents in action! the November 1 Parent Press Conference [at the Statehouse] coverage appeared in the Star Ledger, and multiple newspapers where Associated Press and Gannett (The Record, Asbury Park Press, Courier Post et al)are published; also the press conference was on NPR and 101.5 Millenium radio; NJN televised a lengthy clip on the event and can be seen on-line. For articles and online link, see
Watch NJN NEWS On Line Coverage of Parent Press Conference: http://njn.net/television/webcast/njnnewswednesday.html
STAR LEDGER - Wealthy towns lobby against new formula to keep school aid
Thursday, November 02, 2006
BY DUNSTAN McNICHOL Star-Ledger Staff
Representatives of dozens of
"A solution that ignores children in the many districts like mine is no solution at all," said Betsy Ginsburg, mother of a recent graduate of the public schools in wealthy
Ginsburg was one of four suburban parents who spoke at a Statehouse news conference on state school aid that was organized by the Garden State Coalition of Schools, a lobbying group whose membership includes many of the state's more affluent suburban school districts.
The parents made their plea for additional state aid and fewer restraints on local decision-making as lawmakers work on a new formula for distributing billions of dollars in state aid to schools each year.
"We have to do a better job as a state (in) funding both poor kids and districts with children of better means," Sen. John Adler (D-Camden), co-chairman of a special legislative committee working on a new school aid formula, said in a telephone interview yesterday. "Our new formula has to be fairer."
Adler said lawmakers and the state Department of Education are nearly finished working on a new aid formula that limits future property tax growth across the state.
The school aid changes are part of a summer-long effort to devise strategies for controlling
Suburban parents fret property tax reform won't help
By TOM HESTER Jr.
Associated Press Writer November 1, 2006, 5:22 PM EST
About 50 parents whose children attend some of the state's more well-off schools rallied at the state Capitol on Wednesday, expressing worries that consolidating districts or altering school funding could hurt education in their communities.
"We do need to address our high property taxes, but we can't do it by mortgaging our children's future and we can't do it by giving up local control over our schools," said Sarah Maris, a Fair Haven mother of four.
The parents are part of the Garden State Coalition of Schools, which represents mostly suburban schools that haven't seen an increase in state school funding in five years and is concerned new school funding policies could take money from them to help others.
The coalition wants legislators to ensure the state provides enough funding to account for at least 15 percent of a school budget and no more than 85 percent. That would likely mean less money for many city schools and more for some suburban ones.
Lynne Strickland, the group's executive director, said it simply is asking for fairness.
The average New Jerseyan pays about $6,000 in annual property taxes, twice the national average. About 55 percent of the money collected in property taxes goes to the state's 616 school districts.
The Legislature formed four special committees in July to debate property tax reforms. The panels have until Nov. 15 to present recommendations.
Legislators have discussed converting property tax rebate checks into direct state property tax payments and boosting the amount the state would pay.
Lawmakers also have discussed asking voters in county referendums whether to create 21 county school districts.
Jonathan Marshall, of Bernards, said there's no proof large districts are best.
"We cannot assume that big districts are the source of cost savings," said Marshall, a father of three.
Sen. Bob Smith, co-chairman of a committee considering government consolidation, said he wasn't surprised to hear such comments about merging governments.
"There's been overwhelming resistance," Smith said.
But he noted his county school plan would reshape school administration, not classrooms.
"What the public has to understand is we have met the enemy and it is us," said Smith, D-Middlesex. "On one hand the public is screaming for property tax relief, but the split side of that is everyone wants their little boutique governments. You can't have both."
A recent analysis found poor and wealthy school districts are spending what's needed to properly educate a child, but that 250 middle-income districts spend about $500 million less than they should have during the 2004-05 school year.
Sen. John Adler, co-chairman of a school funding committee, said he's not aware of any proposal to cut school funding. Adler and Treasurer Bradley Abelow said nothing's been decided about how increased school funding would be provided.
"We're still working with the Legislature in understanding a whole host of things that are under consideration," Abelow said.
