Education funding plan by Gov. Corzine wrongly based on ZIP codes
Gov. Jon Corzine has a plan to revamp education funding. It appears to be just more smoke and mirrors. The sales pitch is "the current model leaves too many children out of luck simply because they live in the wrong ZIP code" Pithy, but meaningless as far as the overburdened property taxpayer is concerned.

Two of the many problems with the plan are the continued reliance upon using a community's aggregate wealth to determine aid and thinking $400 million to $500 million in increased aid will begin to make a dent in sky-high property taxes. And that is what is driving this socalled reform.

The idea that low-income students living in a wealthy district merit less aid than those in a poor district reveals the inherent contradiction of a needsbased plan governed by a community's average income. Why should a needy student be penalized because he lives in the wrong ZIP code? Wait, isn't that what is driving the governor's thinking? How can he say he is helping those who live in the wrong ZIP code when he is penalizing an otherwise identical child because he lives in the wrong ZIP code? Confused? Our leaders depend upon us not thinking too deeply about these things.

The governor promises more education aid. But he has also guaranteed Abbott districts will not see reductions in aid and might even see an increase. Using $450 million and dividing by 600 districts, you get $750,000 each. That would be 0.6 percent of the Middletown Township education budget and 0.4 percent of the entire property tax bill. Any more need to be said?

The real problem with high property taxes is they have nothing to do with ability to pay. Education must be supported entirely by the state with a dedicated income tax. Then funding based on individual student needs would be based solely upon those criteria and it would not matter which ZIP code one lives in.

John C. Hendrickson

Red Bank