Proposed $2.1M Brick School Funding Cut Would Be Devastating: Officials

BRICK, NJ — Republican state legislators are ripping a proposed school funding plan that would strip the Brick Township School District of $2.1 million in the 2017-18 school budget cycle.

In news releases issued late Thursday afternoon, state Sen. Jim Holzapfel and Assemblymen Dave Wolfe and Greg McGuckin of the 10th District criticized a deal announced Wednesday state Senate President Stephen Sweeney and Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto on school funding.

That deal would allocate $100 million more than the school funding Gov. Chris Christie proposed for the 2017-18 fiscal year, according to a report on Observer.com. But the deal also shifts $46 million in so-called "adjustment aid," a provision of the School Funding Reform Act of 2008.

The adjustment aid has been criticized by some who feel it is outdated and gives more money to some districts than they should be receiving, according to the Observer report.

Brick is one of 10 districts that would see cuts exceeding $1 million in their adjustment aid. Neighboring Toms River would have its adjustment aid reduced by nearly $3.3 million, according to information released by the Senate Republican Office, which broke the figures down by state legislative district.

Jersey City would have its aid cut the most, roughly $8.5 million, more than 20 percent, from the $418,779,890 the district was to receive under the Christie budget, while East Orange would have its aid slashed $3.13 million, 17.5 percent from the $178 million that district was to receive. Washington Township in Gloucester County would lose 2.069 millionm Vineland City woul dlose 2.059 million Middletown ($1.18 million), Manalapan-Englishtown ($1.25 million) and Neptune ($1.3 million) are the other districts that would see cuts of more than $1 million, according to the breakdown.

For Toms River and Brick, however, the cuts would be particularly devastating; both towns continue to recover from the havoc wreaked on lives and property tax bases of both districts. Brick had added positions and some critically needed capital repair projects.

Brad Schnure, director of communications and constituent services for the New Jersey Senate Republican Office, said the reduction wouldn't be a one-time thing; the reductions would occur for the 2018-19 budget cycle as well.

“We have a property tax crisis that is about to explode as a result of this backroom deal negotiated in secret by Democrats who control the New Jersey Legislature,” Holzapfel said. “First, we were devastated by huge ratable losses resulting from Superstorm Sandy, and now we’ll be devastated by massive cuts to our schools thanks to New Jersey Democrats.”

“We have a natural disaster that’s being followed up with a political disaster that’s being foisted upon us by the Democratic leaders of the Senate and General Assembly,” McGuckin said. “This is a slap in the face to our hardworking residents and communities still struggling to rebuild. Enough is enough.“

Sen. Jennifer Beck of Monmouth County, a member of the Senate Budget & Appropriations Committee, called the school funding reform plan highly political.

“I don’t know how you tell school districts that have already adopted budgets to cut millions and lay off teachers who have already signed contracts,” Beck said. “I’m disappointed that so many other distressed property taxpayers have been left out in the cold. All of our students and property taxpayers deserve a better plan.”

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