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     Property Tax Reform, Special Legislative Session & School Funding
7-29-06 School Funding formula draws mixed reactions
Star Ledger "...Lynne Strickland, executive director of the Garden State Coalition of Schools, an advocacy group that represents suburban districts, said Corzine showed leadership by announcing the sweeping reforms.

"I'm also very cautiously worried about the details, which have to be vetted," Strickland said, later adding: "I think the governor's done some homework. I haven't really seen it."

School funding formula draws mixed reactions
Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 07/29/06

BY RICHARD QUINN
PRESS STAFF WRITER

TRENTON — Gov. Corzine's blueprint for solving the state's property tax crisis included a lot of talk Friday about shared services and an appointed state comptroller and a dry discourse on restructuring the state's tax code.

What about public education, which accounts for nearly 60 percent of local and county government spending? That made up a smaller portion of Corzine's speech delivered at the opening of the Legislature's special session.

Depending on who heard the words, Corzine's plans to introduce a new state funding formula for schools was either a landmark announcement or political double-talk.

Corzine acknowledged that New Jersey's school funding formula is "outdated, ineffective and outright unfair." He also suggested that New Jersey's school elections could be moved from their traditional April date to November.

Corzine said acting Education Commissioner Lucille Davy is working on "ways to reform school aid," but he gave no time line for when a proposal would be unveiled.

"A new formula must, in my view: One, recognize the needs of every child regardless of ZIP code," Corzine said. "Two, live within the realities of our state finances. And three, meet the obligations of our constitution."

Anthony Coley, a Corzine spokesman, said the state is looking at a "more equitable way" of spreading education dollars among districts. Corzine's constitutional mention was a reference to New Jersey's 31 Abbott districts, which are poorer districts that get billions in state aid under decisions by the state Supreme Court.

Still, Assemblyman Guy Gregg, R-Morris, wanted more specifics.

"The word Abbott did not appear in this speech once. There will be no reform of property taxes until that issue is taken up constitutionally," Gregg said.

But Democrats said the governor's proposal to help middle-class districts receive more funding is a profound first step toward reforming school funding.

"A new system of paying for schools . . . is perhaps the greatest legacy this special session could have," Assemblyman Louis Greenwald, D-Camden, said in a statement.

One of the four special committees formed by lawmakers Friday will focus on school funding.

Reaction from educators was mixed Friday.

Kevin E. Ciak, president of the New Jersey School Boards Association, said in a statement he is encouraged by Corzine's aggressive attempts to improve school funding through shared services, a cap on property tax increases and benefits reform.

"The governor's call for a cap on property taxes is an interesting concept, but our support would need to be contingent upon an adequate level of state aid," said Ciak, a Sayreville school board member. "Otherwise, educational programs could be negatively affected."

Lynne Strickland, executive director of the Garden State Coalition of Schools, an advocacy group that represents suburban districts, said Corzine showed leadership by announcing the sweeping reforms.

"I'm also very cautiously worried about the details, which have to be vetted," Strickland said, later adding: "I think the governor's done some homework. I haven't really seen it."

Jonathan Tamari of the Gannett State Bureau contributed to this story.

Richard Quinn: (732) 557-5739 or rquinn@app.