Toms River schools might sell land to cover $12.4M budget gap
TOMS RIVER – Toms River Regional schools are still in funding limbo as the district waits to see if pending legislation could help close a $12.4 million budget gap, or if it might have to turn to a real estate sale.
“We’re waiting and being as hopeful as we can,” Superintendent Mike Citta said.
Toms River Regional has also completed appraisals on 27 acres of district-owned property by the Joseph A. Citta School, as well as land by High School East for a possible sale to raise money.
The school board voted 6 to 3 to approve a 9.9% tax increase in June, but only if the state coughed up an additional $12.4 million in aid. When no additional aid was offered, the board voted against the spending plan, which left the district without a budget and forced the state to put the budget with the tax increase in place. Interim Ocean County Schools superintendent said she had no choice but to order that initial budget implemented, with the tax increase.
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The district sued the state in October in Ocean County Superior Court, claiming New Jersey’s aid cuts have made it impossible for Toms River Regional to provide a “thorough and efficient” education as required by the state constitution. The state has not yet replied to the district’s lawsuit.
A bill introduced by state Sens. Anthony M. Bucco, R-Morris, and Declan J. O’Scanlon Jr., R-Monmouth, would shift $64.9 million in budget appropriations to help fund schools, including more than $40 million from arts programs. The bill and a companion bill in the Assembly, would add a supplemental $145 million to schools; the measures so far have only received Republican support.
Another bill, introduced in the Senate by Carmen F. Amato Jr., R-Ocean, would allow districts facing budget shortfalls to apply for loans, as has previously been permitted.
Assemblyman Alex Sauickie, R-Ocean, has introduced a bill to provide $106.5 million in supplemental school aid to districts that have been allocated an amount of aid that is less than the schools’ adequacy budget, as defined by the state (the amount required for a thorough and efficient education under the state’s constitution) and have per pupil spending of $19,000 or less.
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It is unclear whether any of these bills, which are all before the education committees in the Senate and Assembly, can gain approval before the end of the year and would be supported by Gov. Phil Murphy. Murphy is a Democrat, and the state Legislature is controlled by Democrats.
Toms River and other districts at the Shore, including Asbury Park, Neptune, Jackson, Middletown and Brick, have lost state funding under S2, the education aid formula that redistributes money from districts that have lost student population, to those that are adding students.
“We are in neutral and waiting,” Citta said.
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Jean Mikle covers Toms River and several other Ocean County towns, and has been writing about local government and politics for many years. She’s also passionate about the Shore’s storied music scene. Contact her: @jeanmikle, [email protected]
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