Corzine meets with School Boards Assoc.
Addresses new funding formula, Abbott districts, property taxes
BY CHRIS MURINO Staff Writer
Gov. Jon Corzine told members of the New Jersey School Boards Association that the new school funding formula is as effective as it can be in these trying economic times.

Corzine spoke on Saturday morning to various school board and municipal representatives from across the state at Crossroads South Middle School in the Monmouth Junction section of South Brunswick.

"New Jersey educates its children, on average, better than anyone else," Corzine said. "We have the highest rate of graduate degrees residing in New Jersey."

About $7.8 billion will be used for education during the 2009 fiscal year, an increase of $532.8 million. All districts will receive a state aid increase of at least 2 percent next year, and no district will be given a decrease in state aid during the first three years of the program.

Corzine stressed that the budget was not an easy one to make.

"Tough budgets are complemented by an economic recession," the governor said. "Also, complement that with a very serious breakdown in fiscal discipline. If we want to be healthy over a long period of time, we have to make sure our students and children have a good chance to succeed."

He also talked about the problem of property taxes.

"Property taxes are a real problem, I've heard from people," Corzine said to some laughter. "Sixty-seven percent of South Brunswick's property tax levy comes from its school budget. This is here in a town that's spending under adequacy."

Corzine then defended moving away from Abbott designations.

"Forty-nine percent of our at-risk children are not in Abbott districts," Corzine said. "We're hopeful because we've tried to make sure we support every child in our formula."

Another balancing act comes in the form of aid to schools and aid to municipalities. State aid to South Brunswick Township will be cut by at least $221,000 this year.

"We have to think about municipal aid and school aid in combination," Corzine said. "We're adding almost $3.7 million in school aid."

Many school board members expressed concerns about the formula, however. Some issues they complained about were the definition of adequacy by the state, residency issues in towns that border Abbott districts and lack of funding to the Abbott districts themselves.

South Brunswick Councilman Joe Camarota gave the governor a lot of credit for coming out and speaking. He said although aid to the municipality was cut, it was important to give to education.

South Brunswick Board of Education member Barry Nathanson said that although he may not like everything Corzine has done, the township was able to give $4 million back to the people and was able to keep the budget low without hurting its programs.

"Corzine put a lot of money into education," Nathanson said.