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Monday, December 04, 2006 • BY TOM HESTER • Star-Ledger Staff

Lawmakers seeking to enact property tax reforms by the end of the month are facing a controversial proposal that goes to the core of New Jersey's age-old debate over home rule: an effort to put county superintendents in charge of spending by local schools.

Backers of the plan to create "super" superintendents -- and of another plan to test the idea of simply having one school district per county-- say it's a good way to reduce the biggest part of New Jerseyans' highest-in-the-nation property tax bills.

But school boards and administrators are pressuring lawmakers to reject it, fearing the "super" superintendents will take too much power from local residents.

Senate President Richard Codey concedes this one's a hot potato as he and Assembly Speaker Joseph Roberts push for property tax reform bills this month after four special commit tees came up with 98 ideas for change.

"A lot of people are concerned about giving up their ability to control their own school districts and the destiny of their children," said Codey (D-Essex). "Home rule is al ways a problem. People will say it is our tax dollars, and we'll decide how to spend it and nobody else."

Under the bill, sponsored by Roberts (D-Camden), county superintendents to be appointed by the governor would get the power to decide who is hired as a local school superintendent. They could negotiate salaries and benefits, oversee local school budgets and have a big say in things like bus contracts. The county superintendent also would have the power to recommend the merger of local school districts and set a public vote on it.

Under the plan, local superintendents would remain but have less power. If districts merge, some could lose their jobs.

"This is a very dramatic piece of legislation. When you look at the details, it has the potential to dramatically improve the way services are delivered to children," said Sen. Bob Smith (D-Middlesex), co- chairman of the Consolidation and Shared Services Committee, which recommended the plan.

Smith called the plan "a real sleeper" as a cost-cutter because the county superintendents would have the clout to recommend mergers of smaller districts with the local high school district. New Jersey has 222 districts serving stu dents up to the eighth grade and another 62 that don't go beyond the sixth grade.

Education lobbyists, however, see the proposal as a monster that would destroy local school autonomy, cost high-ranking local school officials their jobs and create even more bureaucracy.

"I don't know if voters can truly comprehend what this means," said Edwina Lee, School Boards Association director. "Policies and basic ideologies define what every community in New Jersey is about. We still cling to the premise that a community dictates what they will support, not 21 people appointed by the governor to do his bidding."

Island Heights School District Administrator John Lichtenberg said principals and supervisors are concerned "county superintendents may become too political if directly appointed by the governor."

When the Consolidation and Shared Services Committee held hearings in Paramus and Borden town, parents from Metuchen showed up to tell legislators not to tamper with their district. Assemblyman John Wisniewski (D-Middlesex), co-chair of the panel, conceded parents have told members: "We like it the way it is. Don't mess with success."

Frank Belluscio, a School Boards Association spokesman, questioned whether consolidating functions or merging schools would save as much as advertised.

"Not every initiative will work in every situation," he said. "These ideas need to be approached on a case-by-case basis. Whenever you make things larger, you risk making them more expensive."

Belluscio said the plan would also move the school decision-makers farther from the local schools.

"Parents have to determine how far away the administration is going to be from the classroom," he said.

The panel also advanced Smith's proposal to test the idea of countywide school districts that would handle all administrative functions for local schools. He foresees a pilot program in a less populated county, and hopes a county will volunteer.

Under Smith's proposal, a superintendent would have the title of supervisor and oversee the principal and teachers. Local school boards would continue to handle issues directly affecting the district, such as building.

Gov. Jon Corzine has yet to take a position on the proposals but "will be commenting on them in the days and weeks ahead," spokesman Anthony Coley said.

Plan for powerful county school chiefs draws flak

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