Is This Fair?

Last week, we pointed out the funding inequities of New Jersey’s Central Regional school district for the 2005-2006 school year.

A 1999 New Jersey state report on school consolidation also noted the problem.

“Our particular town [Seaside Park], for example, is paying approximately $25,000 per student, whereas another town in the district was around $4,000.

In a span of seven years, Seaside Park’s payments had grown from $25,000 to $51,500 per student while the other town’s had gone from $4,000 to $5,500 per pupil. Is this fair?

Central Regional is not a one-off in New Jersey. Bob at eCache has previously written about the Lower Cape May Regional school district where “Lower Township kicks in $5,300 per student” and the “taxpayers of Cape May pay $41,200”.

Public school spending and funding are totally out of control in New Jersey. Republicans should make this the number one issue in this fall’s elections.