Freeholders reject request to assist borough schoo

[admin]

Surprise! Surprise! Freehold has been denied.

newstranscript.gmnews.com/news/2007/0404/Front_Page/045.html

Freeholders reject request to assist borough schools
BY MARK ROSMAN
Staff Writer



FREEHOLD - The Monmouth County Board of Freeholders has turned down a request to help bail the Freehold Borough public school district out of a tough financial situation.

On March 29, state Sen. Ellen Karcher (D-Monmouth and Mercer) said the freeholders had denied her request for the county to provide payments in lieu of taxes (PILOTs) to the Freehold Borough School District to help eliminate cuts in the 2007-08 school budget.

"Assemblyman (Mike) Panter (D-Monmouth and Mercer) and I have written to the freeholders to request much-needed assistance to the Freehold Borough schools," Karcher said. "The county owns a considerable amount of land in Freehold on which they don't pay taxes, and we think it's time they started paying their fair share."

In her letter to Freeholder Director William Barham, Karcher pointed out that the school district is facing severe personnel and programming cuts in 2007-08, despite an increase in the amount of state aid to be received. Without additional aid, the district will be forced to cut school-sponsored sports and extracurricular programs and dismiss 13 employees, including two librarians, an art teacher, a music teacher, two guidance counselors, a media assistant, three clerical assistants, two custodians, and a math supervisor, according to a press release issued by the senator.

Karcher said her request on behalf of Freehold Borough was denied because the county did not have any surplus funds in its budget to give to the school district.

Karcher noted that Freehold Borough loses more than $500,000 each year in property taxes because county-owned land is tax exempt. She also noted that while the county has provided grants to the borough for items in the past, it has never compensated the school district for its loss.

"Freehold Borough is a model of fiscal responsibility, spending less per pupil than any other district in Monmouth County. I only wish the freeholders could show the same responsibility and meet their obligation to the children of Freehold," the senator said.

Monmouth County Freeholder Barbara McMorrow, who is a former councilwoman in Freehold Borough, told the News Transcript on April 2 that she is very sensitive to the situation in the borough's school district.

"It's heartbreaking," she said, adding that "this is an extreme example of the problems with the state's school funding formula. It is something that must be addressed."

But, McMorrow said, with the exception of financial support for Brookdale Community College, which is Monmouth County's community college, and the Monmouth County Vocational School District, the freeholders do not support local school districts.

"I don't see us doing that and setting a precedent in that area," she said. "My heart is really there, but as a freeholder I have to take a measured approach to the issue because I represent all of the people in the county."

McMorrow said she has asked the county's legal representatives to examine the issue of providing payment in lieu of taxes for the property the county has in Freehold Borough.

"Can you do that for one town? We have properties in many municipalities. Can we do that only for the county seat (Freehold Borough)? Is that legal? We are looking into that question," McMorrow said.

Karcher said she and Panter will continue to explore all possibilities to provide additional funding to the Freehold Borough School District, including further efforts to get the county to begin a PILOT program with the school district.

On the same day Karcher announced that the freeholders had rejected her request for financial assistance, a group of representatives from the Freehold Borough School District joined Assemblywoman Jennifer Beck (R-Monmouth and Mercer) in Trenton to make their case for additional assistance from the state.

In a press release, Beck said she arranged for the Freehold contingent to meet with Assemblyman Louis Greenwald, who is the budget committee chairman, and Assemblyman Joseph Malone, the ranking Republican on the committee, giving them an opportunity to make their case for more funding. The group also met with Education Commissioner Lucille Davy.

"All of the schools in the 12th District have been flat funded for five years," Beck said. "Freehold Borough has consistently done more with less and they have now reached the breaking point. Without a significant increase in state aid, they will have to lay off good teachers, eliminate music programs and after-school sports. The state has ignored this district for far too long and it's patently unfair."

The Freehold Borough Board of Education has proposed a $16.7 million budget for the 2007-08 school year. Board members and district administrators have said a new state law that limits the amount of money that may be raised in local taxes forced them to eliminate positions and programs.

The administrators are seeking additional funding from the state that would allow them to retain the items that have been eliminated from the regular budget. Residents will vote on the budget in the April 17 school election.

Freehold Borough's K-8 school district has an enrollment of about 1,400 pupils in two elementary schools and one intermediate school.

[admin]

I would say this is predictable. The next predictable thing that will happen is that Karcher and Panter will say " we tried". they will deflect blame and try to get themselves off the hook for any responsibility.

What we have to do is not allow them to get away with that. They are our Trenton reps. They have to stand up to their cronies in Trenton and pay attention to us, the ones who will vote them out if they do not do their jobs.

[fiberisgoodforyou]

"Assemblyman (Mike) Panter (D-Monmouth and Mercer) and I have written to the freeholders to request much-needed assistance to the Freehold Borough schools," Karcher said. "The county owns a considerable amount of land in Freehold on which they don't pay taxes, and we think it's time they started paying their fair share."

Nice....will Panter and she both go to the 20+ churches and ask them to pay up too?

This effort is a shallow attempt to place some, if not all of the burden where it has no place! There are NO Counties in the state that pays for their office space to the host municipality!

It would make more sense for these two, to hound the county Freeholders for relief with our Illegal Alien epidemic.

If these two BORO REPRESENTATIVES truly want to help, why have they not gone toe to toe with Assemblymen Payne from Newark, or Assemblymen Greenwald from Camden with a clear message of "Stop the Abbott's from fleecing of the Dept Budget, MANDATE accountability, DEMAND Oversight and PROSECUTE Without Impunity very Schoolboard member and BOE Staffer that has MISUSED OUR MONEY!!!

If these two BORO Representitives truly want to help us, lets see their outrage! Enough with the cheap deseption, Schoolfunding is NOT a County Freeholders ISSUE!

Lets see these two fight to desolve the 100 year old Boro Secession from the Township....Now that would be "Cojones"!

[sonofsilencedogood]

admin said:

Surprise! Surprise! Freehold has been denied.

newstranscript.gmnews.com/news/2007/0404/Front_Page/045.html

"Freehold Borough is a model of fiscal responsibility, spending less per pupil than any other district in Monmouth County. I only wish the freeholders could show the same responsibility and meet their obligation to the children of Freehold," the senator said.

...and I only wish the state could show the same fiscal responsibility and meet their obligation to the children of Freehold.

It's funny how Senator Karcher doesn't talk to much about that.

I can't wait until November....

[Marc LeVine]

I'm surprised that no one got Jennifer Beck's opinion on all this Legislator/Freeholder chit-chat. After all you have Karcher and Panter, both D's, asking Bill Barham's and his R's majority for help. Not sure there was ever much of a chance there.

Sure, Barbara McMorrow, the token D on the board, was sought out by the reporters to directly address her fellow party members regarding Freehold Borough concerns. But, Beck was conspicuously absent from this political exchange, making all this seem like a couple of legislature D's trying to help aspiring D's win Freeholder seats, in November, by making the R's look bad. Not that the R's would need much help in this case. Sorry, just not much in all this enterprise to benefit Freehold Borough. And, that concerns me.

After all aren't our Freeholders supposed to be looking out for the health an welfare of all their municipalities? Well, the Freehold Schools are very sick. Mr. Barham, what comes after you say "No?" I would expect that after a "No" comes some lively meetings and some heavy brainstorming that will lead us to a "yes," somewhere. Will we be hearing from the Freeholders on this topic again? Are they among those trying to save Freehold Borough, its children and its taxpayers?

This has been the problem with County Government right along. Even with the illegal immigration issue, they have hung us out to dry. They need to be part of our solutions, not missing from these dialogs. Are they even doing anything behind the scenes to help us with either of these two critical issues?

Marc

[sonofsilencedogood]

Marc said:

I'm surprised that no one got Jennifer Beck's opinion on all this Legislator/Freeholder chit-chat.
Marc

Can't say I am surprised. If you remember, back at the Town Hall meeting, where 500+ of us packed into the auditorium, Beck told everyone there that she does not see the "county option" as a viable one.

She, in my opinion, is being more realistic about the whole topic. As you said, Marc, the County Government has been dropping the ball on a number of issues for some time now...why should we waste time trying to get blood from a stone, especially when the amount of money they're talking about (approx $500,000) is still less than half of what our schools apparently need to get back to being "right"? And that's only if every penny of that money went to the schools, which somehow I just doubt would happen - call me a cynic.

Beck has chosen to go after the entity that is truly responsible for our schools being in this predicament, and this same group has the resources to actually get us the full funding we need. This group, of course, is the State government.

Karcher seems to not only be playing the political game for November's election, but she never mentions that the state has any blame for the condition the schools are in. Instead, as I quoted earlier, she's trying to make it sound as if the Republican Freeholders are the ones responsible...not the Democrat controlled State Government.

Typical politician BS, at a time when we especially don't need it.

[fiberisgoodforyou]

Again, knowing the level of Abbott unaccountability, neither Karcher, nor Panter will confront the Newark, Camden, Trenton Party Boss's to provide EXPLANATIONS as to where and how they spend the Approx $5 to $6 Billion of Abbott Money (this is 60% of the 30% of the states $31 BILLION Budget)

If Karcher and Panter CARED about Freehold Boro, or ANY of their constituents, this question about Abbott spending would have been raised last summer during the state budget approval vote, when the Gov had them all locked down till a budget was passed!

Fact is most of the "D" legislators willingly voted for a budget that they didn't even read, fact is that last summer the budged was passes as MORE PORK was being added during and after the Budget Vote....PARTY POLITICS AT ITS FINEST.

Have Karcher or Panter done ANYTHING for Freehold Boro during there last term "Serving" us?

Honestly Beck is the only one leading the charge for us in Trenton. Panter didn't bother showing up last Thursday with Karcher in Trenton. Beck made most of the arrangements and kept us informed about the DOE Budget hearins. Karcher and Panter do NOT want us in Trenton to hear the TRUTH about the states Edu Budget Hearings....

Expecting Monmouth County Freeholds to do something 22 other counties do not do, was a very unrealistic expectation.

And now the Gov passed 20% bogus Property tax relief bill, while there is still recorded spending…THIS is insane!

There needs to be a REDUCTION in spending to go with a reduction in Revenue?!?!?

This Guy was the COE of Goldman? Spending has gone up from 25 Billon to 31 Billion in just a few years.

Pennsylvania has a larger population than NJ, is about 3 times our geography, yet the PA State Budget is less than $28 Billion dollars?

Something is rotten here in NJ, and its not the Monmouth County Freeholders!

[Marc LeVine]

Sonofsilencedogood:

Problem is the State Legislature consists of two Houses: a 40-member Senate and an 80-member General Assembly from 40 legislative districts. How in heck do we get 117 other people to care what happens in Freehold Borough? Short answer: We Can't.

• We can't vote them out.
  Their constituents don't want them giving money away to others.
  
• 
  
• 
  

I'm a businessman. What's the hook? In my question, lies our answer.

One possible answer is to review the entire state list of schools with serious funding woes and arrange a high profile summit in Freehold Borough, coming away from that meeting as a united front for more funding from Trenton. Lots of publicity would be good. That having taken place, the "collective lot" has more clout and more publicity than any elected official would ever want to discount in consideration of his or her political future.

We're not going to get much of anything on our own and without some additional leverage. Just a thought.

Marc

[Marc LeVine]

Honestly Beck is the only one leading the charge for us in Trenton.

Let's not rush to exalt Beck, yet, either. She is in the minority and can say whatever she likes without much consequence if the majority fails to listen to her.

FB has to put all 120 legislators in the same basket. Our answer lies not within the narrow control of our own three local representatives, but in our own ability to rally other school systems that have been shortchanged. From that group we must raise an army of voices that clearly represent November election wins and losses.

We'll get nothing from good will, alone. The only success we can make for ourselves comes from another kind of will...the will of the people.

Marc

[admin]

And it continues.....

www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070405/NEWS01/704050455/1004

Take note of the person from the Borough who was interviewed. That guy is a well know trouble maker. The other day he knocked on my front door and offer to sell me Karcher cup cakes for one thousand dollars a piece! Some people have real nerve.

[fiberisgoodforyou]

admin said:

And it continues.....

www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070405/NEWS01/704050455/1004

Take note of the person from the Borough who was interviewed. That guy is a well know trouble maker. The other day he knocked on my front door and offer to sell me Karcher cup cakes for one thousand dollars a piece! Some people have real nerve.

A Dem and a Rep agree....(Kinda)

Monmouth officials consider aid to cash-strapped school district
Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 04/5/07
BY NICK PETRUNCIO
FREEHOLD BUREAU

FREEHOLD — While nobody disagrees that the Freehold School District is in financial trouble, there is debate on whether Monmouth County should become involved by making payments to help fund the district.

State Sen. Ellen D. Karcher and Assemblyman Michael J. Panter Jr., both D-Monmouth, have requested the county, which owns untaxable properties in the borough, start a Payment In Lieu Of Taxes, or PILOT, program to make up for the between $500,000 and $700,000 in taxes the district could have reaped from those properties annually. Freehold is the county seat.

However, Assemblywoman Jennifer Beck, R-Monmouth, said that while she believes all options for finding additional money should be pursued, seeking a county payment would be precedent-setting and place an additional burden on residents across the county.

Public schools are funded largely through local property taxes and state aid.

"The idea of a county PILOT is a political one," Beck said. "It's not a real solution."
Karcher disagrees. She said the move would not really be that precedent-setting, noting Trenton gets money from the state because of the state buildings there and further pointing out that the county funds vocational schools.

"The fact is it can be done, it has been done, and it's time we think creatively," Karcher said.

Monmouth County Freeholder Barbara J. McMorrow, the only Democrat on the five-member board, said the question is: Can the county do it for just the county seat? She noted the county also owns properties — such as golf courses, parks and buildings — in other municipalities. If the county had to make payments on all those properties, it might go bankrupt, she said.

"It's a bigger issue than "just give us the money,' " she said. "The PILOT (program) is something that cannot be done in an arbitrary manner because there are far-reaching implications."

She said the county does help fund Brookdale Community College in Middletown's Lincroft section and the vocational-technical schools, but that is because the county runs them.

McMorrow said county counsel Malcolm Carton is reviewing whether the county can enter into such a program, and he is expected to offer his opinion to the freeholders next week. Another question that has to be answered is whether any other county seats do this, she said.

Karcher said she is working on legislation to provide state aid to the 21 municipalities that are county seats. She also said another way is to require a county PILOT to the host municipality.

But Beck believes the real solution is having the state fix its system of funding public schools. She said the state has flat funded non-Abbott districts, including Freehold, for years, causing the fiscal problems.

Abbott districts are the state's poorest districts and receive the most state aid.

Beck also believes the Freehold district and a handful of others that are below the threshold of providing the "thorough and efficient" education required by the state Constitution should get a one-time appropriation that brings them up to that level.

On March 26, the Board of Education reluctantly adopted a budget that cuts programs and employees. Art, drama, math, music and sports programs as well as library services are among the items that would be affected. The public on April 17 will vote on whether to approve the budget.

In Trenton, Panter will introduce a budget resolution requesting a line item that Freehold be allocated $1.1 million for the 2007-08 school year. He is asking for Karcher's and Beck's support of the measure.

[fiberisgoodforyou]

" Panter will introduce a budget resolution requesting a line item that Freehold be allocated $1.1 million for the 2007-08 school year. He is asking for Karcher's and Beck's support of the measure."

Where is this money coming from? Lets get the budget formula fix PERIOD!

The Gov just signed a 20% prop Tax cut, and Panters answer is more pork!

The Boro needs the 1.1 mil, however this back room, line item slip on an extra Mil, here and there is how the state got into this financial mess.

I am afraid that this will end up costing us more down the road!

Will there be 1.1 Mil taken from some other budgeted project, like the $180,000.00 HS in New Brunswick?

Padding a bill with another $1.1 mil does not fix the problem, although...I"LL TAKE THE MONEY!!!!