Relax: New School Aid Plan Will Not Raise Taxes In Millburn

MILLBURN, NJ – Under a new plan from the state's top lawmaker, more than 190 school districts may be able to raise taxes as much as they want to make up for school funding losses. The good news is that is not the case in Millburn, where the state aid actually increases under the plan.

Senate President Steve Sweeney said last weekend that he will be introducing 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.

A number of school districts have struggled to stay within the cap – especially since the Murphy administration and state Legislature changed the school funding formula last year that brought severe cuts to suburban districts.

"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 at the meeting.

Sweeney also said lawmakers will continue to work to consolidate nearly 300 school districts as a way to save money.

The new plan will not impact Millburn as they are not a district facing losses. In fact, Millburn's state aid will increase 10.95 percent, bringing the amount of aid to $3,519,108 which equates to an increase of $347,449.

Under the 2019-20 school aid plan, about 197 school districts experiences decreases. A number of districts protested the changes, and many of them even appeared at the State House earlier this year, just as Gov. Phil Murphy was giving his budget address, to voice their displeasure.

State aid weighs heavily in many district's decisions on raising local property taxes. Many often say that aid cuts or flat spending from year to year gives them cause to raise what are already the highest property taxes.

Patch has compiled a complete list of school districts, ranked based on their decreases and increases.

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