Hillsborough Urges State For Relief On School Funding, Unfunded Mandates

HILLSBOROUGH, NJ — Hillsborough Township is asking state leaders to revise school funding and municipal aid, fund state mandates and let towns charge development impact fees.

"These unfunded mandates, combined with inadequate State aid, are driving property tax increases that many Hillsborough homeowners, including seniors, young families, and residents on fixed incomes, can no longer afford," according to a resolution approved by the Township Committee on Tuesday.

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The resolution says Hillsborough property taxpayers have carried an increasingly larger share of school, municipal service and infrastructure costs while the state has not provided adequate school funding and municipal aid.

It also says housing and land-use mandates have driven development without giving municipalities the financial tools to address the effects of that growth.

According to the resolution, the township identified more than $465,100 in unfunded state mandate costs for 2027 during its review of the municipal budget, with other public works and affordable housing administration costs still being determined.

The document lists court-required public defender services, watershed and stormwater compliance requirements, police operational and equipment requirements, public works environmental and stormwater compliance obligations, and affordable housing administration and compliance obligations.

The measure calls on the governor and Legislature to reform school funding and municipal aid policies, authorize reasonable development impact fees and fully fund state mandates imposed on municipalities.

It also urges the state to distribute aid "fairly, transparently, and based on the demonstrated needs of each community, without regard to the political affiliation of any municipality or its elected officials."

During the meeting, Commiteewoman Jill Gomez said, "This was added yesterday afternoon, so it was short notice."

Gomez later said, "I'd like to suggest that we table consent number seven, just given the fact that it was provided yesterday afternoon. I think it needs some more time to be reviewed, given the information given tonight."

She abstained when the committee voted.

Deputy Mayor Shawn Lipani said, "All we are asking in this resolution is for the state of New Jersey to look at the S4 formula that they've been working on for 20 years."

He also said, "This is a non-political statement. This is just the fact that the people are hurting."

"The bottom line is, I stand behind the fact that I wanted our public, our residents, to understand what is unfunded," Mayor Catherine Payne said.

She added that, "There was a lot of questions about the taxes in the past couple weeks, in the past couple meetings online through my Ask the Mayor series, and I definitely want them to know that we are trying to do things for them. But more importantly, we are being transparent with what their tax dollars are going to, and I've continued to do that all year long."

The township clerk will now send certified copies to the governor, legislative leaders, Hillsborough's state lawmakers, the New Jersey State League of Municipalities, the Somerset County Board of County Commissioners and the Hillsborough Township Board of Education.

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