Newark Students May Pay For Property Tax Cuts In Wealthy Essex County Towns

By Jason Koestenblatt (Patch Staff) with additional reporting by Eric Kiefer

Newark, NJ - Should taxpayers in wealthy Essex County towns benefit from cuts to Newark's state student aid?

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie’s controversial proposed “Fairness Formula” plan would equalize per pupil spending across the state if approved, and drop annual property taxes in many Essex County towns.

But here’s the catch… local taxpayers’ potential savings may come at the expense of some of Newark’s most in-need students.

The plan, unveiled earlier this week, takes aim at the disproportionate amount of state funding allocated to Abbott school districts, which are located in “poorer, urban” areas of the state.

Christie called for a flat rate of aid in the amount of $6,599 per student enrolled in grades kindergarten through 12 in New Jersey. According to the Governor, who laid out more details of the plan Wednesday night on New Jersey’s 101.5 radio station, an estimated 75-percent of towns would see more state aid while residents in those municipalities would see their annual property tax bill drop.

• See related: Christie Unveils New School Funding Plan; NJEA Calls It ‘Despicable’

The plan was met with immediate opposition, particularly from the New Jersey Education Association, calling the proposal “despicable” and an idea that would set the state’s progress in education back decades.

NEWARK TAXES

Locally, the difference in annual tax bills is eye-opening.

For example, according to a recently launched website outlining The Fairness Formula, which can be seen here, Millburn property owners would save an average of $3,985 under Christie’s proposed plan.

However, Newark taxpayers wouldn't receive any savings at all, according to the website.

More importantly, the Newark Public School District would experience cuts of $14,502 per pupil under the proposed plan according to a NJ.com study, a stunning drop of 69 percent over its current state funding.

According to the NJ.com report, these other Essex County public school districts would also see the following per-pupil cuts to their state aid:

• East Orange - $12,841 less per student (66 percent)
• Irvington - $10,440 less per student (62 percent)
• Orange - $7,978 less per student (55 percent)

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