The Time is NOW for a "Fairness Formula"

The Time is NOW for a “Fairness Formula”

Governor Christie has recently proposed a school funding plan, the “Fairness Formula”, that would provide $6,599 per student to all New Jersey school districts with additional funding for special needs students.

This plan would increase state aid to approximately 75% of the states’ some 560 school districts, and could lower their property taxes, but it would seriously cut state funding and affect taxpayers of the 31 so-called Abbott districts.

State Senate President Steve Sweeney is proposing an alternate plan that would “fully fund” all districts by creating a four-member commission who would study and propose changes to the 2008 School Funding Reform Act that allocates funding to districts based on enrollment, demographics, and other factors. Property taxes would have to necessarily INCREASE statewide in some fashion.

We say it’s about time! How long do our “middle districts” (too “rich” to be Abbot Districts, too poor to be able to get by without MORE state help) have to wait to get their FAIR SHARE?

In Brick Township, year after year, we struggle to properly educate our children by spending some $17,000 per pupil, while Abbot District aided Asbury Park spends $34,000. Where is the FAIRNESS in that?

Brick Is not Rumson. Brick is not Camden. Where does Brick fall? Brick is tired of waiting. The time is NOW. Let’s begin this conversation. Surely, there is some middle ground that will place ALL of our CHILDREN FIRST.

John O’Rourke

Victor Finamore

Brick Students First

Candidates for Brick BOE 2016