100 Toms River School Buses, 1 Message: Don't Cut $3.3M In Funding

TOMS RIVER, NJ — Faced with a proposed $3.3 million cut in state funding for a school budget year that begins in 10 days, the Toms River Regional School District has a message for state legislators: Don't.

It's a message they hope to deliver on Thursday by sending 100 district school buses filled with parents, staff, students and community members to oppose the school funding deal announced last week that would help some districts at the expense of devastating others.

The $3.3 million cut for Toms River is just one of the funding changes announced last week by state Senate President Steve Sweeney and Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto in their compromise deal on school funding that they say will funnel $146 million — $100 million in additional funding, and $46 million diverted from other districts — to "that will put countless underfunded school districts on a path to fair funding."

But that compromise is punishing a number of districts across the state, including several in Ocean County. Toms River would be hit hardest, with a proposed $3.3 million cut to adjustment aid the district receives. Next-door neighbor Brick Township will lose nearly $2.2 million under the proposal. Manchester, Lakehurst, Lavallette, Island Heights and Seaside Heights also would lose funding under the proposal. Additionally, there would be further cutbacks in the following years of similar magnitude, Republican legislators said.

The proposed $3.3 million cut to the adjustment aid Toms River receives is one of the largest cutbacks in the state, and comes on the heels of a district budget process that has already resulted in the cutting of 17 positions for the 2017-18 school year, district officials have said.

While there has been conflict at times among taxpayers, parents and district staff, on this issue, the voices are in agreement: the cuts would be disastrous for the district and the community as a whole.

Anna Pollozzo of South Toms River, who has been a frequent critic of the district, has been urging residents and families in the school district to contact both Sweeney and Prieto to oppose the cuts.

"Our district has already cut staff for 2017-2018 including teachers, school security, support staff and an administrator," she wrote on Facebook in a post urging action. "We cannot cut anymore. Call Senator Sweeney and Senator Prieto please tell them how this is going to hurt our kids. Tell them our per pupil cost is one of the lowest in the state. We cannot afford to lose these funds. Our children deserve better."

District officials, meanwhile, have organized a bus rally to send 100 school buses with students, parents, administrators and staff to Trenton on Thursday to bring their opposition to the steps of the Statehouse.

"(The cuts) would be catastrophic to the people of Toms River, still recovering from (Superstorm) Sandy," district officials said in a flyer about the rally. "The district has operated responsibly and with the third lowest per-pupil cost in the state, but despite advocating at all levels for the past two years, we’re seeing millions in aid going to schools with far less need under this proposal."

Republican state legislators released a district-by-district look at the aid distribution under the proposal and said Republican districts, including the 10th District which includes both the Toms River and Brick schools, would be hardest hit, while Democratic districts would benefit from the Sweeney-Prieto largesse.

“As a long-time educator, it’s nauseating to see New Jersey Democrats gutting education funding and hurting our school children,” said Assemblyman David Wolfe of the 10th District.

Sen. Jennifer Beck, whose district includes Freehold and Red Bank, two seriously underfunded districts that would benefit under the proposal, slammed the Sweeney-Prieto deal as highly political.

“Their plan largely hurts Republican districts to help Democrats, and doesn’t provide the comprehensive school funding reform that New Jersey deserves,” Beck said. “Let’s not pretend that this plan is intended to be fair or focused on improving education for all students statewide.”

According to data provided by Sweeney and Prieto, school districts represented by Democrats in the Legislature would see a total net aid increase of more than $103 million. School districts represented by Republicans would see a total net increase of just $6 million, with many individual districts losing aid.

"We have a property tax crisis that is about to explode as a result of this backroom deal negotiated in secret by Democrats who control the New Jersey Legislature,” said Sen. Jim Holzapfel of the 10th District. The lingering effects on Toms River and Brick of Sandy combined with the proposed cuts will devastate both towns, he said.

Toms River parents, students and community members who want to participate in the Trenton rally can register on the district's website so school officials can get an estimate of bus needs. Click here to register.

Buses will run from the three high schools to Trenton; minors must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. The buses will leave at 8:30 a.m. and return to Toms River approximately 1 p.m., officials said.

In addition, district officials and staff will be gathering on the steps at Toms River High School South, 55 Hyers St., on Wednesday at 1 p.m. to express their opposition to the cutbacks.

Image via Shutterstock