P'burg loses out in state aid hikes Warren, Hunterdon counties would see funding increase in Gov. Jon Corzine's 2008 budget. Tuesday, February 27, 2007 • By Trish G. Graber • The Express-Times TRENTON | Warren and Hunterdon County school districts will see the first school funding boost in nearly five years under Gov. Jon S. Corzine's fiscal year 2008 budget, according to figures released Monday by the state Department of Education. But the state cut Phillipsburg School District's aid by $271,540, a shortfall that might fall to taxpayers. Business Manager Bill Poch said he will find out for sure today whether Phillipsburg has to raise taxes. Poch said the state sent notice to a half-dozen districts in 2006 to cover their shortfall with a tax hike. Poch thinks Phillipsburg will be among the districts to have a mandated hike in 2007. Supplemental funding will still be available to the state's 31 poorest districts. As one of these Abbott districts, Phillipsburg waited four months to get the additional funding in 2006. "I think it's going to be very difficult to get additional funding," Poch said. Statewide, schools will receive a $300 million increase with the largest being $20.7 million in Camden County. Under the funding plan, districts with the greatest needs were dealt the greatest percentage increase, according to the Department of Education. Hunterdon's state aid jumped 3.3 percent over 2007 to $47.8 million; Warren received a 2.1 percent increase to $101 million -- compared with the state average boost of 2.7 percent. Sen. Leonard Lance, R-Hunterdon/Warren, said the figures exemplify the need for a new school aid formula, which has continued to burden middle-class homeowners. "Once again school districts are not getting their fair share of financial support from Trenton," he said. "Most districts have had their aid frozen for five years, which deprived them of an estimated $2.2 billion. The proposed increase is too meager to halt the property tax spiral and the pain being felt by homeowners." Mike Yaple, a spokesman for the New Jersey School Boards Association, said that while the funding numbers provide some relief, they do not make up for past funding freezes. "It is good news but after five years of neglect it is difficult to be overwhelmingly excited," he said. While many states fund 50 percent of the cost of public education, New Jersey funds about 36 percent of the cost, according to a recent Rutgers University report. Hackettstown Superintendent Robert Gratz said he is grateful for any additional state aid, especially since it has been flat for five years, but he doesn't expect it will significantly impact district programs. Figures released Monday show the district stands to see a 5.5 percent increase or $262,170 more in state aid. Gratz said based on the information school officials had Monday, they weren't confident they would receive that total increase. They plan to explore the aid figures more thoroughly today when a detailed budget document becomes available. The Clinton Township School District is slated to receive an additional $46,722 in state aid, or a 3 percent increase over the previous year. The district will receive $1.6 million in state aid. "While we definitely appreciate any increase in state aid," Clinton Township district taxpayers aren't really going to feel the 3 percent difference, Business Administrator Daria Wasserbach said. Trish G. Graber is Trenton correspondent for The Express-Times. She can be reached at 609-292-5154. Reporters Daniel Hausmann and Andrea Eilenberger contributed to this report. © 2007 The Star-Ledger. Used by NJ.com with permission.