ICYMI: High School Funding Vote Set, Tax Impact For Each Town Announced

How the West Morris Regional High School District is funded come 2017 may look drastically different than the current model after the board of education this week approved verbiage for a referendum to be placed on the November ballot.

Last December, the board voted 7-1 to let voters decide if the funding formula should change at all through a November 2016 referendum. This week, the board finalized the referendum question and released data showing what a change would look like to taxpayers in Washington Township, both Chesters, and both Mendhams.

See related: West Morris Regional Funding Change Will Go To Vote In 2016

Under current New Jersey law, public school districts are funded by property taxes, which are determined by a home’s value. That home’s value is also based on its own town’s assessment and correlating tax rate.

As of now, the West Morris Regional High School District is funded by the property taxes of residents in Washington Township, Mendham Township, Mendham, Borough, Chester Township, and Chester Borough, along with some state aid.

Under the proposed referendum, the formula would change from 100-percent based on property taxes to a 50-50 split between property taxes and per pupil cost.

The change in annual tax payments would be drastic for four of the five towns, with Washington Township seeing a large increase with Chester Borough and both Mendhams seeing sizable decreases.

"The Board’s proposal is a compromise effort to stabilize a high performing district by blunting the movement by some towns to dissolve the district," said Board President Rob Strobel. "The Board’s proposal is independent of the dissolution discussion. For Washington Township, the Board’s proposal provides the possibility of protecting its highly ranked high school, which would face a significant funding shortfall if the towns succeed in the dissolution effort. For the Mendhams and Chesters, the proposal provides a significant cumulative tax savings."

Using a baseline of $500,000 in assessed property for a home in each of the five towns, each homeowner would see the following annual difference if the referendum was approved:

• Chester Borough: -$401.00
• Chester Township: -$85.00
• Mendham Borough: -$330.00
• Mendham Township: -$516.00
• Washington Township: +$605.50

These figures are just an example at the current time and may fluctuate based on budget needs.

“There are a number of moving parts that will result in taxes varying each year, including changes in the relative number of pupils sent by each town,” said Strobel. “For example, a Chester Borough resident could pay $48 more per year on a $500,000 home in the third year based on current enrollment figures, but that resident could still have a net savings of $172 over three years.”

In order for the referendum to pass in November, a majority of voters in each of the five towns that make up the regional school district would have to vote in favor. If the majority does vote to approve, the formula would be set in stone for 10 years.

While the referendum is now set, some of the five regional towns are still mulling the possibility of dissolving the district entirely.

See related: Mendham Council, Board Of Ed Want New High School District For Local Students

Recently, Mendham Borough’s Mayor and Council, along with the local Board of Education, approved a resolution to de-regionalize from the West Morris Regional High School District.

Both groups decided it would be best for Mendham High School to split off from the joint district and its sister school West Morris Central, creating a singular high school district serving all Mendham and Chester students.
Mendham is the first of the five towns to take this step. Only three of the district's five towns need to approve resolutions for the vote to be put to a referendum. If that happens and the issue goes to a referendum ballot, all five towns involved in the current district would be able to vote, including Washington Township. At that time, three of the five towns would need to have a majority approve the referendum while an overall majority of voters throughout the five towns would have to be in favor as well.

There’s no current timetable on when the other towns would hold joint meetings and agree on resolutions.
As for the funding formula referendum, voters in all five towns will be able to voice their opinion at the ballot box on Tuesday, Nov. 8 in the General Election. Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.