More money for N.J. schools Some districts in Hunterdon and warren counties will get a 20% boost in aid. Others will get 2%. Thursday, December 13, 2007 • By Trish G. Graber • The Express-Times TRENTON | Gov. Jon S. Corzine unveiled a revamped school funding formula Wednesday that provides school districts with at least a 2 percent increase in aid next year, but gives a 20 percent increase to many cash-strapped middle income districts. The new formula is intended to ease the property tax burden on municipalities by basing aid on the needs of individual students in a district. The proposal must pass the state Legislature before Jan. 8 to be ready for the 2009 budget season. "We're trying to balance property tax pressure with maintaining a high quality education," Corzine said. To meet that goal, the state has proposed providing $532 million more in school aid to the state's 618 districts, a total of $7.8 billion. In Hunterdon County, a third of the districts will receive a 2 percent increase in aid for the 2008-2009 school year and one district, Bloomsbury, would receive the maximum 20 percent jump. In Warren County, nearly half of the districts will get the minimum 2 percent increase; five will see a 20 percent boost. "That's not much help after years of being frozen," said state Sen. Leonard Lance, R-Warren/Hunterdon. "This certainly does not in any way cure the property tax crisis in Warren and Hunterdon." Funding increases are based on the number of students eligible for free or reduced lunch, students with limited English proficiency and special education students. Under the formula a town's wealth is also taken into account when determining special education aid. "This is a formula that follows the basic principle that children with greater needs deserve greater resources," Education Commissioner Lucille Davy said. The new formula seeks to do away with the "Abbott" status, a Supreme Court-ordered designation which requires additional resources for the state's neediest districts. The formula must still pass court muster to comply with the Abbott ruling. "We've worked along with lawyers and others every step of the way to meet our thorough and efficient mandate," Corzine said. "We think we have." In Phillipsburg, one of the state's 31 Abbott districts, local officials say it is too early to tell how they will be affected by the new process. "There are a lot of unknowns at this point," said Bill Poch, Phillipsburg's business administrator. Last year, when the state asked for exemption from the court-mandated funding requirements for Abbott districts, Phillipsburg accepted the state's 3 percent increase in funding, forfeiting their ability to appeal to the state for additional money. "By doing that we appropriated $2.2 million from surplus," Poch said. "We don't have $2.2 million in 08-09." Board President Paul Rummerfield said the district had anticipated a greater increase in funding under the overhauled formula. Phillipsburg receives about 70 percent of its $61 million from the state. "Unfortunately it doesn't sound like it's a comprehensive funding package, it sounds like it's a short term formula with a political (angle) to get it passed," Phillipsburg School District Board President Paul Rummerfield said. Trish Graber is Trenton correspondent for The Express-Times. She can be reached at 609-292-5154.