'Schools Will Have To Close:' NJ Districts Face Trouble Over Cuts

NEW JERSEY – The announcement was supposed to be a good one: Gov. Phil Murphy agreed this past week to give a number of school districts more aid.

But for a lot of districts, the announcement just rubbed more salt in their wounds. Many of their requests fell way short of what they wanted. Some got no money at all (see list below).

The bottom line is this: A number of districts say they're facing cuts so severe that they'll have to cut sports and club programs, and even close schools. And the state isn't offering much of a remedy, they say, to reverse that.

One of those districts is Brick. The school district is faced with the task of cutting $4.2 million from the 2020-2021 school budget because of a cut in aid. The Herbertsville Elementary School could be one of the first to go now that the district got no emergency aid money, even though Brick asked for $2,741,894.

"Why hasn't anyone told us this sooner?" one Brick mother who spoke during a meeting this week said, wiping tears as she expressed her frustration over the idea that her children will be moved from Herbertsville School to another school in the district. Read more: 'Schools Will Have To Close:' Brick's Future Dire In NJ Aid Cuts

The Murphy administration, for that matter, doesn't appear ready to give these districts more hope.

When a caller on his News12 "Asked the Governor" show asked Murphy about one of the state's largest districts, Toms River, and how state aid cuts will lead to possibly even eliminating some of the town's fabled sports programs, the governor appeared unmoved.

Murphy noted that he provided emergency aid to 13 school districts, including Toms River, and that district got one of the biggest awards. Only a certain amount of money was available for emergency aid, he said, and Toms River got one of the largest chunks: $854,634

Toms River had asked for $4,473,821; the district called governor's allocated amount a "slap in the face." Read more: Emergency Aid Award 'A Slap In The Face,' Toms River Schools Say

Murphy said his administration is open to finding common ground but "we're digging out of a mess created by the last administration," adding that Gov. Chris Christie, he claims, severely underfunded a number of districts – particularly poor ones – during his eight years in office.

"We can't solve it overnight, but we're trying," Murphy said.

Other districts, like Brick, got nothing. One of them was Hillsborough which asked for $5.3 million in emergency aid for its schools.

Hillsborough's school district has been struggling with finances ever since an $8.09 referendum failed to pass in March. The Hillsborough Board of Education passed a roughly $130 million budget in May that included laying off 50 positions and 37 staffers as a result. Read more: Hillsborough Wanted $5M In School Emergency Aid, State Gives $0.

Lacey and Point Pleasant Boro also received nothing.

Related:

• Lacey Wanted $623K In Emergency School Aid, State Gave $0
• Point Boro Wanted $327K In Emergency Aid. Here's What It Got

Lawmakers say they're willing to offer other remedies. One of them was offered by Senate President Steve Sweeney, who said he will introduce legislation to provide property tax cap relief for districts that are facing cuts.

Sweeney was referring to a 2 percent cap set by the Christie administration in 2010 on how much money school districts can raise through property taxes. Read more: New Plan To Fix NJ School Aid: Raise Property Taxes Even More

Murphy, however, said he is not in favor of any idea that would lead to a rise in property taxes and would prefer a millionaire's tax instead.

A number of school districts have struggled to stay within the cap, Sweeney said, and have had to cut programs instead. "We need to ensure that students do not suffer in districts that are now taking cuts after receiving more than their fair share of state aid for more than a decade," Sweeney said.

Sweeney also said lawmakers will continue to work to consolidate nearly 300 school districts as a way to save money. Read more: Renewed Push On Plan To Eliminate 275 NJ School Districts

None of these solutions have been acceptable to districts facing cuts, especially Toms River, which has been the most vocal school district regarding state aid. Parents, district officials and students have stormed Trenton, holding protests and demanding that changes be made.

"More than 15,000 Toms River students stand to lose as a result of these questionable decisions. This is the reason we all need to be in Trenton tomorrow," the district said in Dec. 9 letter. "Now more than ever, based on this latest development #WhatTRStandsToLose is everything."

"This is 'shut up money.' But we will not shut up," the letter said.

Here is the list of New Jersey districts that asked for emergency aid, and here's how much they got:

• Pleasantville, Atlantic: Asked for: $2,000,000; Got: 0
• Englewood, Bergen: Asked for: $526,068; Got: 0
• Saddle River, Bergen: Asked for: $300,000; Got: 0
• Bass River Twp, Burlington: Asked for: $29,467; Got: $29,467
• Lenape Regional, Burlington: Asked for: $96,1300; Got: 0
• Pemberton Twp, Burlington: Asked for: $1,202,000; Got: $410,000
• Woodland Twp, Burlington: Asked for: $411,105; Got: $254,201
• Audubon, Camden: Asked for: $2,539,659; Got: $122,709
• Berlin, Camden: Asked for: Unspecified; Got: 0
• Camden, Camden: Asked for: $43,985,531; Got: Under Review
• Haddon Twp, Camden: Asked for: $170,568; Got: 0
• Middle Twp, Cape May: Asked for: $407,414; Got: 0
• Commercial Twp, Cumberland: Asked for: $791,961; Got: $677,867
• Orange, Essex: Asked for: $3,605,443; Got: 0
• East Orange, Essex: Asked for: $3,160,000; Got: $1,031,912
• Newark, Essex: Asked for: $36,749,168; Got: $3,978,154
• Nutley, Essex: Asked for: $1,600,000; Got: 0
• Glassboro, Gloucester: Asked for: $1,628,135; Got: $1,511,644
• Wenonah, Gloucester: Asked for: $306,200; Got: 0
• Jersey City, Hudson: Asked for: $215,710,708; Got: 0
• Freehold Regional, Monmouth: Asked for: $3,780,766; Got: 0
• Boonton, Morris: Asked for: $675,979; Got: $102,761
• Brick Twp, Ocean: Asked for: $2,741,894; Got: 0
• Lacey Twp, Ocean: Asked for: $623,156; Got: 0
• Lakehurst, Ocean: Asked for: $722,754; Got: $651,122
• Point Pleasant Boro, Ocean: Asked for: $327,367; Got: 0
• Toms River Regional, Ocean: Asked for: $4,473,821; Got: $854,634
• Paterson, Passaic: Asked for: $24,662,000; Got: $5,147,029
• Alloway Twp, Salem: Asked for: $161,981; Got: 0
• Lower Alloways Creek, Salem: Asked for: $165,342; Got: 0
• Hillsborough, Somerset: Asked for: $5,346,508; Got: 0
• Union Twp, Union: Asked for: $2,000,000; Got: 0
• Greenwich Twp, Warren: Asked for: $308,051; Got: $278,534
• North Warren Regional, Warren: Asked for: $502,795; Got :0