Toms River Mayor: State's School Aid Cuts 'Illogical'

TOMS RIVER, NJ — As parents and residents prepare to head to Trenton on Tuesday to again urge Gov. Phil Murphy to address cuts in state funding to the Toms River Regional School District, Mayor Thomas F. Kelaher is backing the effort.

"As the Mayor of Toms River, I wholeheartedly support the community effort to petition Governor Murphy and the State Legislature to reinstate the funding that was arbitrarily taken away from the Toms River Regional School District," Kelaher said in a statement he released on Friday.

"This illogical action has had a devastating effect on our entire township and is causing the deterioration of the quality of our education in Toms River," Kelaher said. "I urge everyone in Toms River and beyond to continue to support this effort with the rally at the State House on Tuesday, December 10th as we fight to restore the funding that our children and school system rightfully deserve."

On Tuesday, buses and a vehicle caravan will leave from Toms River High School North at 9 a.m. to go to Trenton for the Rally to Save Toms River.

"We cannot allow systems like yours to be hung out to dry," Murphy said in response to Toms River woman who called in to an "Ask the Governor" program to ask about the cuts the Toms River Regional School District is faced with under S2, the state law that has laid out cuts to so-called adjustment aid to more than 100 school districts across the state. Toms River stands to lose cumulatively more than $70 million over the seven years of the cuts.

For the 2020-2021 school year, the district is facing a $4.3 million cut in state aid. It has applied for emergency aid for the 2019-2020 school year due to the cuts that resulted in the elimination of 77 staff positions and 55 coaching stipends, but as of Dec. 2 district officials have not received a response on that application.

The rally, set for 10 a.m. to noon outside the governor's office at 225 W. State St. in Trenton aims to hold Murphy "to his word because, right now, we are being hung out to dry," organizers said.

"After massive staff cuts this year and facing the grim reality of losing more staff, sports, extracurriculars, full-day kindergarten, and more in 2020, our community has had enough!" a flyer being circulated about the rally says.

They are hoping for a strong response similar to the rally in March, when Toms River sent 27 school buses loaded with students, staff and residents to Trenton to take part in a rally that drew more than 4,000 people.

The rally is being organized by parent-teacher organizations in the district and encouraging parents, business owners and residents to join in. The Greater Toms River Chamber of Commerce recently voiced its support for the district's battle as well.

Questions about the rally can be directed to map.morrison@gmail.com. Residents who are not part of a parent organization can register at tinyurl.com/TRRSatTrentonDec10.

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