Cut 282 NJ School Districts? New Demands After Scathing NJ Report

NEW JERSEY — A plan that would include drastically consolidating and cutting as many as 282 New Jersey school districts has gained new momentum after a scathing state report was released this week identifying what it called "waste and abuse" in at least 16 communities. (see list below).

Two Republicans, showing support for reforms pushed by Democratic Senate President Steve Sweeney, said the new report demonstrates the need to advance a 32-recommendation "Path to Progress" plan that includes merging school districts — nearly 300 of them — to help save the state money.

The plan also includes possibly adding tolls to major highways and transferring assets.

The state Commission of Investigation on Wednesday issued a report, called "The Beat Goes On and On," that says as many as 16 towns "continue to engage in questionable practices that needlessly cost taxpayers" despite state and local regulations that limit forms of excessive compensation and other perks. Read more: Report Blasts 16 NJ Towns For 'Waste, Abuse' Costing You Millions

“Sadly, the SCI’s scathing report on outrageous compensation schemes offered by some local governments is not surprising,” said Sen. Steven Oroho, R-Sussex, the Senate Republican Budget Officer. “These are the same abuses that our bipartisan workgroup targeted for reform in the solutions we offered to lower the cost of government.”

Senator Michael Testa, R-Cumberland, said the only way to make New Jersey more affordable is with "sensible, responsible spending cuts that eliminate bureaucratic waste and abuse."

Testa said he hopes Gov. Phil Murphy, who will deliver his budget message to the Legislature at the Statehouse on Tuesday, will "see the light and embrace portions of the bipartisan reforms laid out in the Path to Progress.”

Oroho claims the governor has not endorsed any of the bipartisan legislative proposals to cut billions from the cost of public employee health benefits, pensions, or retirement payouts.

“I sincerely hope the governor and all elected officials will read the SCI report and finally understand the need to advance the common-sense reforms we have proposed,” said Oroho.

Murphy has set aside $10 million for New Jersey communities to help promote shared services. About $2 million of that was earmarked to study K-12 consolidation, something that Sweeney has championed as part of his "Path to Progress program."

The money brought a much-sought-after spark to an effort started by Sweeney and 26 analysts and so-called experts who helped draw up the plan two years ago.

"The goal is to eliminate the administration, put a principal in the school, get rid of the school district, leave a principal, let the regional high school become a K-12 district," Sweeney said. "You go from 600 districts to 320."

Those recommendations included in the “Path to Progress” include:

• Merge all K-4, K-5, K-6, K-8, and K-9 school districts into K-12 regional districts to improve the quality of education and promote efficiency.
• Install high-occupancy toll lanes (or HOT lane) on I-80, I-295, I-287, among others.
• Allow the establishment of two countywide school district pilot programs.
• Explore the viability of transferring major assets such as the New Jersey Turnpike system to the state pension system to lower the unfunded liability and generate new revenue streams for the pension system.
• Create a Property Tax Assessment Study Commission to study the state’s tax assessment practices and make recommendations for countywide or regional tax assessment to ensure consistency and efficiency.

Murphy has said the money will enhance the state’s ability to "guide and encourage our state’s diverse communities that are interested in pursuing consolidation and shared services."

“As we lead our state towards the stronger and fairer economy that we hope to build together, it is our administration’s responsibility to provide these communities a platform from which to pursue efficient growth, achieve smart government and provide relief to local taxpayers," he said.

Sweeney said he has long fought for shared services as an effective means of making government more efficient and providing taxpayer savings.

“K-12 regionalization, countywide school district pilots and shared-services programs are a cornerstone of our Path to Progress plan to promote efficiency and lower property taxes,” said Sweeney.

Sweeney said reducing New Jersey’s highest-in-the-nation property taxes needs to be a top priority to improve economic competitiveness, attract jobs and make the state affordable.

“School regionalization and countywide school districts will enable us to expand curriculum and educational opportunities, while holding down the school property taxes that make up more than half of the property tax bill statewide,” Sweeney said. “We have been meeting with leaders throughout the state from Sussex to Salem counties who are eager to make this a reality.”

Sweeney acknowledged his school consolidation plan would be unpopular, but he also believes that it could provide the state an additional $1 billion.

"That's not a bad idea," he added. "You'll save probably close to about a billion dollars."

If the school districts were to be consolidated, here are the K-6 and K-8 that would be merged/eliminated:

• Absecon City, Atlantic
• Brigantine City, Atlantic
• Egg Harbor City, Atlantic
• Estell Manor City, Atlantic
• Folsom Boro, Atlantic
• Galloway Twp, Atlantic
• Hamilton Twp, Atlantic
• Linwood City, Atlantic
• Margate City, Atlantic
• Mullica Twp, Atlantic
• Northfield City, Atlantic
• Port Republic City, Atlantic
• Somers Point City, Atlantic
• Ventnor City, Atlantic
• Weymouth Twp, Atlantic
• Allendale Boro, Bergen
• Alpine Boro, Bergen
• Carlstadt Boro, Bergen
• Closter Boro, Bergen
• Demarest Boro, Bergen
• East Rutherford Boro, Bergen
• Edgewater Boro, Bergen
• Englewood Cliffs Boro, Bergen
• Fairview Boro, Bergen
• Franklin Lakes Boro, Bergen
• Harrington Park Boro, Bergen
• Haworth Boro, Bergen
• Hillsdale Boro, Bergen
• Ho Ho Kus Boro, Bergen
• Little Ferry Boro, Bergen
• Maywood Boro, Bergen
• Montvale Boro, Bergen
• Moonachie Boro, Bergen
• Northvale Boro, Bergen
• Norwood Boro, Bergen
• Oakland Boro, Bergen
• Old Tappan Boro, Bergen
• Oradell Boro, Bergen
• River Edge Boro, Bergen
• River Vale Twp, Bergen
• Rochelle Park Twp, Bergen
• Saddle River Boro, Bergen
• South Hackensack Twp, Bergen
• Upper Saddle River Boro, Bergen
• Woodcliff Lake Boro, Bergen
• Wyckoff Twp, Bergen
• Bass River Twp, Burlington
• Beverly City, Burlington
• Chesterfield Twp, Burlington
• Delanco Twp, Burlington
• Eastampton Twp, Burlington
• Edgewater Park Twp, Burlington
• Evesham Twp, Burlington
• Hainesport Twp, Burlington
• Lumberton Twp, Burlington
• Mansfield Twp, Burlington
• Medford Lakes Boro, Burlington
• Medford Twp, Burlington
• Mount Holly Twp, Burlington
• Mount Laurel Twp, Burlington
• New Hanover Twp, Burlington
• North Hanover Twp, Burlington
• Riverton, Burlington
• Shamong Twp, Burlington
• Southampton Twp, Burlington
• Springfield Twp, Burlington
• Tabernacle Twp, Burlington
• Westampton, Burlington
• Woodland Twp, Burlington
• Barrington Boro, Camden
• Bellmawr Boro, Camden
• Berlin Boro, Camden
• Berlin Twp, Camden
• Brooklawn Boro, Camden
• Clementon Boro, Camden
• Gibbsboro Boro, Camden
• Gloucester Twp, Camden
• Laurel Springs Boro, Camden
• Lawnside Boro, Camden
• Magnolia Boro, Camden
• Merchantville Boro, Camden
• Mount Ephraim Boro, Camden
• Runnemede Boro, Camden
• Somerdale Boro, Camden
• Stratford Boro, Camden
• Oaklyn, Camden
• Voorhees Twp, Camden
• Waterford Twp, Camden
• Woodlynne Boro, Camden
• Avalon Boro, Cape May
• Cape May City, Cape May
• Dennis Twp, Cape May
• Lower Twp, Cape May
• North Wildwood City, Cape May
• Stone Harbor Boro, Cape May
• Upper Twp, Cape May
• West Cape May Boro, Cape May
• Wildwood Crest Boro, Cape May
• Woodbine Boro, Cape May
• Commercial Twp, Cumberland
• Deerfield Twp, Cumberland
• Downe Twp, Cumberland
• Fairfield Twp, Cumberland
• Greenwich Twp, Cumberland
• Hopewell Twp, Cumberland
• Lawrence Twp, Cumberland
• Maurice River Twp, Cumberland
• Stow Creek Twp, Cumberland
• Upper Deerfield Twp, Cumberland
• Essex Fells Boro, Essex
• Fairfield Twp, Essex
• North Caldwell Boro, Essex
• Roseland Boro, Essex
• East Greenwich Twp, Gloucester
• Elk Twp, Gloucester
• Franklin Twp, Gloucester
• Greenwich Twp, Gloucester
• Harrison Twp, Gloucester
• Logan Twp, Gloucester
• Mantua Twp, Gloucester
• National Park Boro, Gloucester
• South Harrison Twp, Gloucester
• Swedesboro-Woolwich, Gloucester
• Wenonah Boro, Gloucester
• Westville Boro, Gloucester
• Woodbury Heights Boro, Gloucester
• East Newark Boro, Hudson
• Guttenberg Town, Hudson
• Alexandria Twp, Hunterdon
• Bethlehem Twp, Hunterdon
• Bloomsbury Boro, Hunterdon
• Califon Boro, Hunterdon
• Clinton Twp, Hunterdon
• Clinton-Glen Gardner, Hunterdon
• Delaware Twp, Hunterdon
• East Amwell Twp, Hunterdon
• Flemington-Raritan Reg, Hunterdon
• Franklin Twp, Hunterdon
• Frenchtown Boro, Hunterdon
• Hampton Boro, Hunterdon
• High Bridge Boro, Hunterdon
• Holland Twp, Hunterdon
• Kingwood Twp, Hunterdon
• Lebanon Boro, Hunterdon
• Lebanon Twp, Hunterdon
• Milford Boro, Hunterdon
• Readington Twp, Hunterdon
• Tewksbury Twp, Hunterdon
• Union Twp, Hunterdon
• Cranbury Twp, Middlesex
• Jamesburg Boro, Middlesex
• Milltown Boro, Middlesex
• Atlantic Highlands Boro, Monmouth
• Avon Boro, Monmouth
• Belmar Boro, Monmouth
• Bradley Beach Boro, Monmouth
• Brielle Boro, Monmouth
• Colts Neck Twp, Monmouth
• Deal Boro, Monmouth
• Eatontown Boro, Monmouth
• Fair Haven Boro, Monmouth
• Farmingdale Boro, Monmouth
• Freehold Boro, Monmouth
• Freehold Twp, Monmouth
• Highlands Boro, Monmouth
• Howell Twp, Monmouth
• Little Silver Boro, Monmouth
• Manalapan-Englishtown Reg, Monmouth
• Marlboro Twp, Monmouth
• Millstone Twp, Monmouth
• Monmouth Beach Boro, Monmouth
• Neptune City, Monmouth
• Oceanport Boro, Monmouth
• Red Bank Boro, Monmouth
• Roosevelt Boro, Monmouth
• Rumson Boro, Monmouth
• Sea Girt Boro, Monmouth
• Shrewsbury Boro, Monmouth
• Spring Lake Boro, Monmouth
• Spring Lake Heights Boro, Monmouth
• Tinton Falls, Monmouth
• Union Beach, Monmouth
• West Long Branch Boro, Monmouth
• Boonton Twp, Morris
• Chester Twp, Morris
• Denville Twp, Morris
• East Hanover Twp, Morris
• Florham Park Boro, Morris
• Hanover Twp, Morris
• Harding Township, Morris
• Lincoln Park Boro, Morris
• Long Hill Twp, Morris
• Mendham Boro, Morris
• Mendham Twp, Morris
• Mine Hill Twp, Morris
• Morris Plains Boro, Morris
• Mount Arlington Boro, Morris
• Netcong Boro, Morris
• Riverdale Boro, Morris
• Rockaway Boro, Morris
• Rockaway Twp, Morris
• Washington Twp, Morris
• Wharton Boro, Morris
• Bay Head Boro, Ocean
• Beach Haven Boro, Ocean
• Berkeley Twp, Ocean
• Eagleswood Twp, Ocean
• Island Heights Boro, Ocean
• Lakehurst Boro, Ocean
• Lavallette Boro, Ocean
• Little Egg Harbor Twp, Ocean
• Long Beach Island, Ocean
• Ocean Gate Boro, Ocean
• Ocean Twp, Ocean
• Seaside Heights Boro, Ocean
• Stafford Twp, Ocean
• Tuckerton Boro, Ocean
• Bloomingdale Boro, Passaic
• Haledon Boro, Passaic
• Little Falls Twp, Passaic
• North Haledon Boro, Passaic
• Prospect Park Boro, Passaic
• Ringwood Boro, Passaic
• Totowa Boro, Passaic
• Wanaque Boro, Passaic
• Woodland Park, Passaic
• Alloway Twp, Salem
• Elsinboro Twp, Salem
• Lower Alloways Creek, Salem
• Mannington Twp, Salem
• Oldmans Twp, Salem
• Quinton Twp, Salem
• Upper Pittsgrove Twp, Salem
• Bedminster Twp, Somerset
• Branchburg Twp, Somerset
• Green Brook Twp, Somerset
• South Bound Brook, Somerset
• Warren Twp, Somerset
• Watchung Boro, Somerset
• Andover Reg, Sussex
• Byram Twp, Sussex
• Frankford Twp, Sussex
• Franklin Boro, Sussex
• Fredon Twp, Sussex
• Green Twp, Sussex
• Hamburg Boro, Sussex
• Hampton Twp, Sussex
• Hardyston Twp, Sussex
• Lafayette Twp, Sussex
• Montague Twp, Sussex
• Ogdensburg Boro, Sussex
• Sandyston-Walpack Twp, Sussex
• Stanhope Boro, Sussex
• Stillwater Twp, Sussex
• Sussex-Wantage Regional, Sussex
• Garwood Boro, Union
• Mountainside Boro, Union
• Winfield Twp, Union
• Allamuchy Twp, Warren
• Alpha Boro, Warren
• Blairstown Twp, Warren
• Franklin Twp, Warren
• Frelinghuysen Twp, Warren
• Great Meadows Regional, Warren
• Greenwich Twp, Warren
• Harmony Twp, Warren
• Hope Twp, Warren
• Knowlton Twp, Warren
• Lopatcong Twp, Warren
• Mansfield Twp, Warren
• Oxford Twp, Warren
• Pohatcong Twp, Warren
• Washington Boro, Warren
• Washington Twp, Warren
• White Twp, Warren

Salem County officials say they're also spending $17,500 to study consolidating the districts into a countywide system. Freeholder Director Benjamin Laury told Patch that the move "doesn't mean we're going to do it. We're just looking at it."

Sweeney, who has pushed for consolidating as many as 275 districts, is "fully aware and fully supportive" of the county's plan, his office said. Read more: 'Schools Will Have To Close:' NJ Districts Face Trouble Over Cuts

"He has met with local officials and school officials in the county to provide support and encouragement so they can make the best decisions for their schools, educators, students and taxpayers," his office said in a statement to Patch.

Here are the 14 districts that could be consolidated after the study is completed:

• Alloway Township
• Elsinboro Township
• Lower Alloways Creek
• Mannington Township
• Oldmans Township
• Penns Grove-Carneys Point Regional
• Pennsville
• Pittsgrove Township
• Quinton Township
• Salem
• Salem County Special Services District
• Salem County Vocational District
• Upper Pittsgrove Township
• Woodstown-Pilesgrove Regional