Liberty schools consider forming separate district New schools would be needed. Township officials attracted to prospect of increased state aid. Thursday, April 13, 206 • By KAT MAIN • The Express-Times LIBERTY TWP. | Liberty Township schools could see a $7 million increase in state aid over the next five years if the township withdraws from Great Meadows Regional School District. According to a feasibility study presented Wednesday, the township has been losing $1.5 million per year for sharing three schools with Independence Township. Those estimates were compiled by Statistical Forecasting LLC of Morristown, N.J., a group that was hired a year ago to look at Liberty's involvement in a regional school district with neighboring Independence. "We needed to determine whether Liberty was paying a disproportionate amount of school taxes," said Liberty Township Deputy Mayor Ray Bolzan. Currently, one third of the district's 1,450 students come from Liberty, which saw a 4.9 percent tax rate increase with the district's proposed 2006-07 spending plan. Independence's rate increased 5.6 percent. In reviewing the district and its taxes, Statistical Forecasting determined that Liberty's school tax rate would decrease. Conversely, the report showed, Independence would find increases in school taxes and decreases in state funding if the district were dissolved. Independence Mayor Bob Giordano Wednesday voiced opposition to the plan. "I can't sell this to residents," he said. Giordano feared splitting the district would polarize the two neighboring communities. "We're regionalized, I think we can stay that way," Giordano said. If Liberty were to withdraw from the district, it would need to create a K-8 school in the current K-5 Liberty School. Improvements to the existing school would involve the construction of at least four classrooms. Many audience members Wednesday felt construction could negate any possible savings and worried whether students at the proposed school would receive benefits already given through the regionalized school district. "I would encourage everyone here to keep in mind this is fiscally driven I don't believe this was looked at for benefits to the students," School Board President Glenn Williams said. Calling the process "significant and elaborate," Vito Gagliardi, who worked with the firm on the study, said a plan to de-regionalize would have to go through many steps before it would be presented to the public. Reporter Kat Main can be reached at 908-475-8044 or by e-mail at kmain@express-times.com. © 2006 The Express-Times. Used with permission.