New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy has recently signed a series of bills that grant cities and towns the authority to explore options for overriding a local property tax cap. This move is intended to counteract potential funding reductions that may impact certain school districts.
School districts would be granted the ability to surpass the state’s 2% cap on property tax levy increases under the Democratic-led proposal. This would be made possible by utilizing portions of the budget that were left unused in previous cycles.
The state Department of Education would establish a Stabilized School Budget Aid Grant Program, offering grants that amount to 45% of the reduction in state school aid for the 2024-2025 school year. The program is allocated a budget of $44.7 million to provide support.
According to Murphy, the legislation offers crucial assistance to local governments during challenging times. He emphasizes that the already complex task of adopting a balanced budget is further complicated by difficult financial realities.
“I am delighted to offer assistance to school districts that are experiencing cuts in aid. As we move forward, I anticipate collaborating with Commissioner Kevin Dehmer to ensure that our tax dollars are utilized responsibly to support the education of all our students,” expressed Murphy, a Democratic representative, in a statement.
According to Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, a Democrat, the proposed legislation offers local districts greater flexibility in planning for the future, all while upholding their commitment to fully funding education.
According to a statement by Coughlin, the immediate support provided will help mitigate job losses and cuts to programs that result from fluctuations in the funding formula.
In February, Murphy revealed his budget plan worth $55.9 billion. As a groundbreaking move, he suggests allocating full funding to the state’s public school funding formula, a milestone in the history of the state.
According to the Murphy administration, although the plan would result in a decrease in education funding for nearly 140 school districts, out of over 580 districts statewide.
Murphy’s initial budget proposal outlines a plan to boost school funding by $908 million, bringing the total allocation to $11.7 billion in the upcoming fiscal year.
The Republican party put forward a proposal to amend the Appropriations Act in order to completely reverse the proposed $200 million cuts in school funding for specific school districts in FY 2025. Additionally, the proposal aimed to allow districts that received supplemental “hold harmless” aid in the previous year to offset budget cuts and receive the same amount in the upcoming fiscal year. However, the Democratic-controlled Legislature rejected this proposal.
The Murphy administration is being criticized by Republicans for delaying education funding reforms and spending large sums of money on pork barrel projects. This has resulted in increased pressure on local governments to raise property taxes in order to compensate for funding shortfalls.
School officials have argued that although the 2% cap has been recognized for its role in curbing the rise of New Jersey’s property taxes, they are advocating for greater flexibility to work around the limitations on spending.
School leaders expressed their appreciation for the approval of the package of relief bills, while also emphasizing the need for further reforms to the state’s funding formula. Their main concern is to ensure that school districts receive sufficient funding to meet their needs.
Timothy Purnell, executive director of the New Jersey School Boards Association, acknowledged the importance of the recent relief but emphasized the ongoing need to address the funding of schools. He expressed optimism about the collaboration between the Murphy administration, the Legislature, and the association in evaluating the school funding formula and making the necessary adjustments to ensure all students in New Jersey receive a comprehensive and effective education.