( - promoted by Hopeful)
The author is an Assemblyman serving the 4th Legislative DistrictEarlier this month, a Washington Township School Board Meeting was turned into a political spectacle because of a proposed bill that would create a county administrative school district pilot program.
The idea for this bill came as a result of the legislature's special session on property taxes held last year. The committee that studied public school funding found that, on average, 55 percent of a homeowner's property taxes go to fund schools. Furthermore, New Jersey has among the highest administrative, non-classroom school spending in the country, and these expenses are a major contributing factor to our highest-in-the-nation property taxes. That said, we as public officials would be remiss if we did not seriously review well-intentioned legislation aimed at reforming the system.
Unfortunately, those attempts at reform suffered a serious setback at the Jan. 16 meeting. I was greatly disturbed by the spread of misinformation which preceded the meeting. This effort - orchestrated by various special interests groups intent on derailing any reform effort - alarmed parents and children and created panic within our community. Most disturbing of all, their scare tactics look to be succeeding in depriving us all of much-needed property tax reform.
The bill at issue would enable one county in our State to consolidate the various administrative functions that are currently carried out separately by its component school districts. So, for instance, instead of Gloucester County's 28 school districts all purchasing food and supplies separately and negotiating for insurance, transportation and professional services like lawyers and engineers individually, those functions would be carried out centrally by the county administration. |
| The intent was never to have students bused to different school districts, or anything of the sort, as so many parents were scared into believing. On the contrary, the aim was simply to achieve cost savings for our taxpayers through economies of scale - the same thing our families do when they buy from places like Sam's Club and Costco. None of us would have approved of a bill that we thought would erode the quality of our classrooms, or that did not provide for a public referendum on the issue.
Did the bill, as written, have serious issues and flaws? Yes. Did we have assurances that all of our proposed amendments would be incorporated? Again, yes. While this rough draft of a bill was being demonized in leaflets throughout our schools, we were working hard to arrive at good public policy. Unfortunately, that point was not allowed to come across due to the efforts of those special interest groups who stood to lose from this reform.
First, they distributed inflammatory and misleading letters to parents and teachers, thereby inciting a public frenzy. Then, with the help of the school board they staged the political equivalent of a set-up under the guise of an open public forum. The invited guests were by-and-large lobbyists representing special interests, not our children. Their first responsibility is to protect the salaries and benefits of their members.
Predictably, the meeting spun out of control, and the school board president made little attempt to restore order and allow for open and honest dialogue. We were regarded simply as the enemy - as 'politicians.' Step back for a moment and see us for what we really are: parents and taxpayers. Why would we, ourselves the parents of school-aged children in area public schools, support any proposal that would harm our education system? Similarly, why would we, taxpaying citizens like everyone else, not give a fair hearing to any policy that would combat the waste and inefficiencies contributing to our own high taxes? Now ask yourself why a superintendent or school board attorney might oppose this proposal. My guess is that it has nothing to do with your child or your tax bill.
The people of New Jersey need and deserve to have a serious debate about the property tax situation. Instead, what the public got was a rally staged by those with a stake in the outcome. It is all part of a profound irony unfolding all across our state right now. Our residents are crying out for property tax reform. Governor Corzine has implored the legislature to 'be bold' and consider every possible option. But the moment we so much as suggest that reform will require tough choices, shared sacrifice, or - brace yourself - change, we are met with intense opposition from all those in Trenton with deep pockets and narrow interests. In this example, they were willing to use our children as pawns in an effort to sour debate through fear and innuendo. The same general scenario is bound to play out again and again unless we learn to consider the source before we swallow their poison.
I believe that, if given the chance, we can provide real property tax reform. We can reduce administrative overhead in our schools without sacrificing quality in the classroom, just as we can reduce the size and cost of State Government without cutting the public services that really matter. But nothing will happen until we realize that reform requires resolve. We must resolve to look beyond narrow self-interest and reject those that would sacrifice the common good for the sake of private gain. |
