Reach across that aisle
It seems to be an article of faith among Board of Education watchers, and even among the elected members themselves, that Teaneck is poised to benefit greatly from changes to New Jersey's school funding formula which are expected to be introduced sometime in 2007. As a district that appears to be relatively well-off based on local demographics but actually serves many students who require special services, dispensation of state aid on the basis of student need and not community profile should alleviate some of the budget pressures facing Teaneck.
One might then expect State Sen. Weinberg and our State Assembly representatives to enthusiastically vote cast their votes for the long-awaited Democrat-led initiative to shake up the system. Doing this, however, might not be the best thing for Teaneck, for residents would probably fare significantly better under an alternative Republican proposal. According to the Star Ledger, Republican Assemblyman David Wolfe and Sen. Gerald Cardinale "submitted a minority report calling for the state to pay at least 35 percent of school costs in every community, while requiring local residents to pay at least 35 percent of costs."
Currently, more than 90% of the Teaneck Public Schools' FY 2007 budget comes from the local tax levy. A 65% cap on local contributions would allow taxpayers to realize over $20 million in tax savings during this year alone! This is staggering. It would completely change the taxation landscape in Teaneck; property values would rise, attitudes towards the schools would change for the better, and the most aggressive of the development plans being bandied about could die the quick death many think they deserve. Oh happy day!
Is it realistic to expect such a plan to pass? Is it ultimately the most just arrangement? I don't really know, although I suspect the answer is no, at least to the first question. Should we be urging our elected officials to cross party lines to at least examine the feasibility of the plan being put forth by these two Republican legislators? Absolutely. There is a lot on the line.
posted by Teaneck Blog @ 3:10 PM
16 Comments:
Since it is more than a week since the first reevaluations were mailed out, does anyone know which parts of town have received theirs? Does anyone know anybody who has received one?
The area by HNH has gotten theirs as of today...I got mine..under assesed THANK GOD!
We also received ours, and it is quite fair. In addition, the letter of explanation from the manager and the assessment company are very clear and concise.
Either school initiative passing would help Teaneck significantly. It's about time former Teaneck resident(and Councilwoman)Senator Weinberg enthusiastically worked on anything to help her beloved Teaneck.
Teaneck public schools do not deserve the reputation it has. Our kids are getting a solid education. I believe the inflated budget is due to the high number of administrators.
Hopefully, one of the school iniatives will pass, but that should not affect the much needed development in town.
"a solid education"
That is the BEST joke I have heard all year-thank you!
How many administrators are there? What are their capacities? Is that the explanation for the $9 million figure the state came up with?
Last I heard the state has STILL not provided any explanation for the figure it came up with and will not even vouch for its accuracy. So it's just hanging out there with no way for anyone to respond to it.
But I kind of doubt that administrators account for $9 million.
Here is the link for the Teaneck School Budget...
Very interesting reading...
http://www.teaneckschools.org/pdf/districtdepartments/businessoffice/budget/final_adv_budget0607.pdf
For those who are having trouble copying and pasting the full link, click here.
Over the past ten years, Teaneck has significantly cut the number of administrators -- anyone who came to the Board workshop meeting in October heard a presentation on yet another reduction in the Curriculum & Instruction office whose responsibilities were distributed among other department heads who already have fullplates.
I agree with the previous post that Teaneck offers a solid educational experience and my kids have done well in college as a result. As for budget questions, anyone who is interested in learning more about it and how it breaks out have only to call any Board member as well as make the time to come to Board workshops the first and third Wednesdays of each month, which are open to the public. In January, the Board will start reviewing the information on various areas of the school district as the budget is being developed for the next school year. Information can also be obtained by going to the website -- www.teaneckschools.org.
Senator Cardinale's proposal, which includes a minimum 35% of the school budget covered by state aid, would be a breathtakingly large spike in revenue to Teaneck. The school district now receives about $6 million annual in state aid, a number that has been largely stagnant and declining to between 7 and 8% of the annual budget. A minimum of 35% would almost quintuple receipts to nearly $30 million, which would represent a tax cut of nearly 20% right off the top.
The proposal is customized to appeal to Cardinale's constituency in the 39th District, which includes New Milford and most of northern Bergen County. Currently, this area receives some of the lowest state aid percentages in the state and would see the greatest payoff from a 35% minimum.
While all sounds great, funding issues to meet Cardinale's proposal, the massive shifts in funding that would be required from poor urban districts to rich suburban municipalities, combined with the fact that this is a Republican proposal in a Democratic-controlled legislature do not bode well for the plan.
The current majority plans call for reorganizing the funding structure to more closely match the needs of students, a change that would result for significant increases in funding to Teaneck and offers a far greater likelihood of passage.
Either way, Teaneck residents and members of the Township Council need to do a far better job of reaching out and lobbying or legislators and advocating on behalf of Teaneck. Part of this lobbying involves making the strong case and appealing to a sense of logic and fairness that the existing "formula" (I've asked for and searched for it and never seen it, ever, in any form) dramatically shortchanges Teaneck. The other part of lobbying involves developing positive relationships with our legislative representatives, a task that some of Teaneck's Township Council have not made much progress in. If one wants to have a friend in government, it pays to actually try to be a friend.
With the recognition statewide that our school funding system is utterly broken, bipartisan support exists for making substantive changes. We in Teaneck ought to be doing whatever we can to make this change as friendly to Teaneck as possible by working as closely as we can with our representatives in the Statehouse. It's nice to have friends in Bergen County government, but the largess that offers the greatest possible benefit to Teaneck -- and its taxpayers -- comes from Trenton, not Hackensack.
Alan Sohn
Teaneck Blog said ...
It seems to be an article of faith among Board of Education watchers, and even among the elected members themselves, that Teaneck is poised to benefit greatly from changes to New Jersey's school funding formula which are expected to be introduced sometime in 2007.
Where did you get your information as to the opinions of BofE members?
Mr Sohn i always felt that we not only have good friends in Trenton but we have relatives.
Whats that old line about the shoemakers kids with holes in their shoes. ITS TIME FOR THE SHOEMAKER TO WAKE UP FOR TEANECK
Where did you get your information as to the opinions of BofE members?
I had in mind certain public comments Ms. McKay has made in the past.
Does the last comment mean that Alan is Teaneck Blog?
Huh???
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