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Post by fiberisgoodforyou on Oct 3, 2007 7:06:37 GMT -5
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Post by Libyan Sibyl on Oct 3, 2007 8:21:08 GMT -5
I just bumped into this thread. There is also one on nj.com.
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Post by admin on Oct 8, 2007 16:12:52 GMT -5
Beck helped school district
Regarding the story crediting Sen. Ellen Karcher and Assemblyman Michael Panter, both D-Monmouth, and Assemblywoman Jennifer Beck, R-Monmouth, for getting additional state aid to Freehold Borough schools, Beck is the one who drove this process. ("Freehold likely to receive additional state aid," June 14.)
While Abbott district funding has steadily increased, Freehold and similar districts have been flat-funded over the last few years.
Three times in a row, Karcher voted for budgets that flat-funded my schools. Now, in an election year, she is suddenly concerned with the district lacking state aid. Her support of state pilot program-produced funding for the Trenton school district, a well-funded Abbott district, is troubling. Karcher's vote for more than $4 million to New Brunswick schools, another well-funded Abbott district, is unsatisfactory.
Karcher, without a rational foundation, shamelessly sloughs off state responsibility for Freehold underfunding to Monmouth County and our freeholders.
Beck has been highly industrious, arranging meetings between parents and school board members with both Assembly and Senate leadership, enabling legislators to recognize Freehold's funding plight. Her effort is nonpartisan government at its finest. We must have more of this ethic in Trenton.
We are not a large voting bloc, yet Beck embraced our dilemma with extraordinary dynamism. I praise her for laboring on behalf of the children of Freehold. We will remember this in November.
{}Ted Miller
Thursday Letters to the Press Asbury Park Press (New Jersey) July 12, 2007 Thursday
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Post by admin on Oct 8, 2007 16:13:25 GMT -5
Monmouth officials consider aid to cash-strapped school district Asbury Park Press (New Jersey) April 5, 2007 Thursday
Copyright 2007 Asbury Park Press
All Rights Reserved
Asbury Park Press (New Jersey)
April 5, 2007 Thursday
SECTION: NEWS
LENGTH: 686 words
HEADLINE: Monmouth officials consider aid to cash-strapped school district
BYLINE: NICK PETRUNCIO
BODY:
FREEHOLD BUREAU
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.
Freehold parent Ted Miller, who has two children in kindergarten and one in second grade, does not believe the county PILOT or the line item will come to fruition.
"The real answer is, they need to fix the funding formula. Period," said Miller.
{}BY THE NUMBERS
The Freehold School District needs an additional $1.1 million for the 2007-08 school year in order to provide a "thorough and efficient" education as stipulated in the state Constitution.
The district currently falls nearly $770 short of that in per-pupil spending and will fall $900 short in the upcoming school year.
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Post by admin on Oct 8, 2007 16:14:25 GMT -5
Should county help fund Freehold district?
BYLINE: NICK PETRUNCIO {dcidc}Nick Petruncio: (732) 308-7752 or npetruncio@app.com
BODY:
FREEHOLD BUREAU
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 seat of county government.
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 that would 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.
Freehold parent Ted Miller, who has two children in kindergarten and one in second grade, does not believe the county PILOT or the line item will come to fruition.
"The real answer is, they need to fix the funding formula. Period," said Miller, adding that needs to be done as quickly as possible.{dcidc}Nick Petruncio: (732) 308-7752 or npetruncio@app.com
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fbrepublican
Novice
President Reagan was a great optimist, our town should be too
Posts: 40
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Post by fbrepublican on Oct 15, 2007 9:50:11 GMT -5
There are ample reasons why the town residents should vote for Ted. He is a person who offers hope and inspiration. He understands that there are a great many people who have lost faith in most of the current governing body and want alternatives. For entirely too long, we have seen friends of friends who are a part of the "Old Freehold" crowd running this town. While the current council member can point to some successes, there is a very dire need for fresh faces. This is what Ted will offer. He has lived in many more places than here and has witnessed and experienced a much richer life lesson. Ted will think outside the box and offer a broad array of ideas to push our town in the right direction.
Ted understands that the council and Mayor are the CEO's of the town and the tax payers are the share holders. The home owners are the most evident owners of this town and have been left hanging in the breeze for way too long. Ted wants to change this.
For entirely too long our town has received RCA funding in obscene amounts. Couple this with the neglect of our economic and business districts and we see why our town has stagnated while surrounding areas prosper. We have every right to enjoy that prosperity.
We often have been challenged by the question of who designated our town the labor camp of western Monmouth County? That answer comes from within and is evident in the RCA funding we have taken on for entirely too long. We have taken on too much of the affordable housing burden from other towns thus creating an imbalance which has hurt our housing stock and schools. Who has suffered the most for this? The homeowners who invested here and had hope that our town would remain a great place to be. This RCA funding can directly be blamed for segregating our schools which is good for no one, especially the children.
We often hear that there is a vision study in place for the down town area. Yet, details have been scarce and not in the public forum as they should. The governing body and the Freehold Center Partnership have fiddled for too long while our down town has floundered and the mall and the Route. 9 corridor have grown and become shopping Mecca's.
We have received pretty bricks and flowers and still have not seen a long term economic and business plan. Ted understands that will entail thinking far and above just Main Street. That means thinking beyond the special improvement district and looking at the town as a whole. We need an anchor for starters. We need to see what the town is doing with the old police station. Ted mentioned this in a council meeting at least a year ago, and believed then as he does now, that the old station should be used for technology or some other professional business that will bring in professionals and give us a tax ratable. Still, that building sits empty and rotting since 2003. Far too long.
Speaking of neglected buildings, how about the former Exxon station? It is safe to say that now qualifies as urban blight which is again detrimental to the property values of the shareholders, the home owners? That building is a fabulous welcome to visitors in our town and an in your face reminder of failure.
We can never forget the rentals and the community they serve. This again is an area where the residents who invested here are left in the cold. When viewing the rental recommendations, there is little that reaches out to the home owners and good renters who are affected by the slum lords. Ted believes in aggressively reaching out to them and getting all of them involved. With our overburdened code office and activists who undermine our quality of life every step of the way, it must be a community effort to send the right message and get us the progress we need and deserve. With a reported 1900 rentals in this town, we again see a serious imbalance in our small town. The home owners must be involved and that will have to come from guidance from the town.
The home owners need recourse and a place to vent and educate themselves. The neighbors to slum lords need the support of the town and the best way to do that is with an open rental board, without the activists who undermine it. This is an area where we can not afford compromise. Our Mayor was wrong to stick his tail between his legs when the now famous number 15 came out. Every idea has to stay on the table and when possible, implemented. The reasoning behind this is because we have been neglected for far too long and the road is uphill from here. Ted understands this.
The most important thing about Ted's run for office is not about him. It is about reigniting the people and giving them hope. One of his goals that he has been successful with is seeking out and finding more candidates for future elections.
Ted has been very aggressive in meeting many people from all walks of life in our town and he is finding a great many of them are looking for change and want to unite and push this town in the right direction. This is far less an attack of the current governing body and is more so an attack on the apathy that has clouded our town for too long. Too many people are voting with their feet and that has got to stop. Too many people are not voting out of frustration and that has got to stop.
In short, Ted's candidacy is not about him, but vision, progress, accountability and transparent government. Whether Ted wins or loses, he is seeking to unite the people who have been shut out for too long and that will continue after the election, regardless of the results.
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Post by admin on Oct 17, 2007 7:13:04 GMT -5
Geo, you are right to point out many successes and improvements. Let us not forget the rebirth of the American Hotel which we all look forward to.
I do have to take issue with the parks you included. While it is good to see progress and I of all people understand the value of parks in our town, they are not a part of economic and business development. Even when I was on the Human Relations Committee, it was mentioned that our town is still in dire need of recreation.
Until we see otherwise, the Exxon station is a blight and a failure at this point. remember the steel structure in Asbury Park that sat abandoned for twenty years? We should be concerned and we should hold the town governments feet to the fire every step of the way.
There is still too many empty stores.
Throckmorton is still an eyesore which is not good for an entry way into our town.
The Rug mill, while an improvement over what it was, still raises many questions.
How about that Bennett street school?
In other words Geo, I am meeting you half way here. While it is not right to take away the accomplishments in our town, I can tell you from experience in Asbury Park that we have a long way to go before confidence can rightfully be instilled in even those who are paying attention.
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