Point Pleasant Boro Gets Big Cut In NJ School Aid

POINT PLEASANT BORO – The days of getting little help from New Jersey – and possibly raising taxes to make up for the budget shortfall – will continue for more than 190 school districts this year. One of them could be Point Pleasant Boro.

Gov. Phil Murphy's administration released the proposed state aid numbers on Thursday for every school district in the 2020-21 school year. Indeed, 193 school districts would have a decrease under his school funding plan, and they may need tax increases to make up the differences (see how local districts did below).

Read more: These 193-Plus Districts May Face Tax Hike: NJ School Aid Figures

Point Pleasant Boro Superintendent Vincent S. Smith said the funding amount – an 8.78 percent cut from last year – was "a little less than we expected." But his district has been expecting cuts since the state has been pushing a "fair-funding" formula that's shifted money away from districts in Ocean County and elsewhere.

Smith said his district has been preparing for this, and doesn't expect to reduce staff and hopes not to raise taxes. "We expected it so it's not a shock," he said.

Overall, state aid would increase 3.8 over the 2019-20 school year under a plan that requires approval from the state Legislature. That number would be larger than the 2.43 percent increase Murphy proposed last year.

Murphy, whose administration has taken heat for state aid cuts to hundreds of schools, also proposed a one-time $50 million burst in aid to stabilize school finances without cutting vital student programs. Read more: 6 Points In NJ Gov. Phil Murphy's Budget Address That Affect You

Lawmakers have sought other methods — such as raising property taxes and consolidating school districts — to bring in more revenue to New Jersey and help fund school districts that experienced sharp cuts in state funding.

Murphy, however, has rejected those efforts, calling property taxes "regressive." Read more: NJ Gov. Murphy Vetoes Raising Property Taxes To Fix School Aid

"School taxes make up more than half of the average property tax bill in New Jersey, so there is urgency in our action," he said. "And, as we make up for the years of aid cuts and flat funding that preceded us, taxes in more than 250 school districts are stabilizing. And, as we continue to reinvest, that number will grow."

Below is the complete list of local school districts. The first number is the amount of aid; the second is the loss or gain in aid dollars; the third is the percentage of state aid cut or increase:

• Point Pleasant Boro $5,004,221 -$481,766 -8.78%
• Point Pleasant Beach $601,295 $10,883 1.84%
• Manasquan $783,228 $32,813 4.37%
• Belmar $899,076 -$39,503 -4.21%
• Asbury Park $44,571,508 -$5,167,908 -10.39%