School Funding System Unfair To Suburban Districts And 'Built On Corruption,' Doherty Says

Land rich, cash poor.

That's the reason Berkeley Township gets hammered when it comes to state aid for both the Central Regional and Berkeley Township school systems, Mayor Carmen F. Amato Jr. said last night.

Amato spoke after presented his "fair funding" plan at Central Regional Middle School.

"We are a land-rich, cash-poor community," Amato said. "We are rich in ratables, but our senior citizens can't pay property taxes."

The Central Regional and Berkeley Township school districts could reap millions more in state aid and property taxes would drop if New Jersey spent a flat amount of $7,481 per student, Doherty said.

Doherty has proposed a constitutional amendment that calls for ensuring that all proceeds from the progressive state income tax go to property tax relief, which includes funding public schools.

"We have the most expensive school system on the face of the earth that's killing suburban taxpayers," Doherty said. "I think it's time to change the status quo."

The Berkeley school district is slated to receive $2,117,182 in state aid in fiscal year 2012. If Doherty's plan was approved, the state aid for 2012 would be $15,208,873, an increase of $13,091,691, he said.

The Central Regional school district will receive $2,767,123 for fiscal year 2012. That number would jump to $14,221,381 if his plan was approved, Doherty said.

Doherty compared the current total expenditures per student between Asbury Park - a former "Abbott" school district - and the Berkeley Township school district.

Asbury Park spends $26,782 per pupil, compared to Berkeley's $12,059. The Asbury Park figure does not include the district's pre-school or free schools built because of the Abbott designation, Doherty said.

Doherty lashed out at school officials in some districts who pad the free lunch and reduced lunch programs with students who do not qualify, then receive more in state aid because the students are then classified as "at risk."

"You can see that at risk designation is the keys to the kingdom" he said.

Doherty also criticized officials in municipalities who offer tax abatements to businesses and manipulate real estate values by postponing revaluations.

"The current system is built on corruption," he said.

The state Constitution already gives the legislative branch of government the power to fund public schools. But the New Jersey Supreme Court has "hijacked" the state constitution with the current formula, which provides more funding to urban school districts.

Many legislators, especially Democrats, need to "grow a backbone," said Doherty, who is a Republican.

Amato said the battle to find another way to fund schools is an old one in Berkeley, going back to the 1990s. The mayor previously served terms on both the Central Regional Board of Education and the Berkeley Township Board of Education.

"We've got to back the senator 100 percent," Amato said. "We really need to build momentum. We've got to get the governor on board. It could not only help us in Berkeley, it's going to help 85 percent of the school districts in New Jersey."

For more information on Doherty's plan, go to www.fairschoolfunding.com.