DOE Data In, Towns Make Next Move on Schools (Video)

Government officials, school board representatives and residents of the Chesters, Mendhams, and Washington Township came together Thursday, Feb. 23 and listened to a presentation from the New Jersey Department of Education (DOE) about various changes that could be made to the regional high school district.

The purpose of the presentation––was to “start the conversation,” of what can and should be done, if anything, according to Chris Emigholz, director of legal affairs at the DOE.

Close to 200 people speckled the Mendham High School auditorium to learn more about the information.

“Only an unbiased group can make this presentation,” said Mendham Borough Mayor Neil Henry. “Before going forward, we need to look at fact-based, objective data.”

Emigholz, along with Morris County schools business administrator Ralph Goodwin, presented a slide show breaking down the facts and figures of what it would take if the regional district wanted to expand, dissolve, or have one of its municipalities withdraw.

First, Emigholz addressed the education being provided by the district, saying West Morris Regional “isn’t in the same league as the rest of the state.” And while the respective K-8 districts are excellent, Emigholz said, it seems as though the high school district is even more competitive amongst comparable schools in New Jersey.

“This high school district is offering a lot,” he said. “There’s a wide breadth to what this district offers.”

Cost to fund the high-achieving district was the major topic of discussion, however, as Emigholz and Goodwin presented data on what new costs would be for each municipality if it chose to change its funding formula to a per pupil base rather than the current one, based on property values.

By moving to a per pupil cost, Washington Township would be the only town of the five to see its costs rise, escalating from $13,948,567 annually to $19,641,617. That difference would be dispersed proportionately throughout the other four municipalities based on their enrollment numbers.

“Right now, the property tax based way, you can see the property taxes in Washington Township are a little bit lower,” Emigholz said. “Everyone else is a little bit higher. I think it’s impossible to say whether that’s fair or unfair. Or whether someone is being subsidized or someone is being taken advantage of. And when you factor in school aid it’s a little bit different; Washington Township gets school aid per pupil.

"So, is it fair to say they are subsidizing other towns because they get more money in school aid into the system? Is the superintendent trying to figure out which state aid came attached to which kid? Or which special ed kid? Are they going to follow them into their classroom to make sure they get more? It’s impossible to say what’s fair or not. Its just the way it is.”

The monthly rise in property taxes affecting a household valued at $500,000 in Washington Township would be $90, according to the DOE.

“Are those numbers worth going down that road,” Emigholz said. “I don’t know if it is. That’s for the communities to decide.”

For Washington Township’s Adam Fitting, the rise in cost is essentially a latte per day, he said, and not worth fighting over.

“How many hours have been invested into this project?” Fitting asked Emigholz. “When we look at all that’s been put into this, why are we quibbling over basically a latte a day?”

Nick Monaghan of Mendham Township disagreed with Fitting, though, and wanted to know how many other towns in New Jersey were subsidizing other municipalities within a school district.

“It’s actually quite common,” Emigholz said. “Your point is valid, but to say one town is subsidizing the other is a loaded question.”

The next step in the process is for the five towns part of the regional district to fund a feasibility study and have as many facts and figures available to them as possible. The study is estimated to cost $50,000.

West Morris Regional’s board of education is scheduled to next meet on Monday, Feb. 27 at Mendham High School at 7 p.m.

This story is posted on Long Valley and Mendham-Chester Patch.