Phillipsburg district's Abbott funding under review Monday, September 11, 2006 • By DANIEL HAUSMANN • The Express-Times State Senate Minority Leader Leonard Lance said a special committee's goal of establishing a statewide uniform funding system for education is geared toward leveling the playing field. Four state legislative committees are crafting ways to reduce New Jersey's highest in the nation property taxes. Besides school funding, other committees are tackling shared services, employee benefits and pensions and the state constitution. But a funding mechanism that heavily subsidizes poorer school districts such as Phillipsburg has now become part of the larger debate. "The real goal is to develop a formula which eliminates the Abbott designation but fulfills the obligation to the children," said state Sen. John Adler, co-chairman of Public School Funding Reform Committee. "Abbott leaves out all the districts between very rich and very poor," Adler said. The landmark decision in the Abbott v. Burke cases mandated increased state funding to New Jersey's poorest districts, a precedent that still stands. As one of 31 poorest school districts in New Jersey, Phillipsburg receives state aid under Abbott court rulings. State money accounts for 68 percent of Phillipsburg's $59 million 2006-07 budget. Lance, who represents Phillipsburg, said the constitution committee is looking at establishing a per student educational funding minimum. "We have to provide greater funding for middle class districts like Hackettstown and yet not hurt districts like Phillipsburg," Lance said. Lance said the state could continue adequately funding poor districts and take care of middle class students by consolidating services and buying in bulk. Phillipsburg School Board President Paul Rummerfield said his district would look favorably upon sharing services. A consolidation of administrative staff would be beneficial as well, he said. Adler, D-Cherry Hill, gave no specifics on his committee's plans. He said the committee is still taking testimony from school officials, the public and looking at what other states have done. "We'll apply those lessons to legislation we expect to be writing in a few weeks," Adler said. Assemblywoman Marcia Karrow said the funding formula as it currently stands is "completely wrong.'' "The court system has to stop making decisions about 'thorough and efficient' (education) and how that gets funded," she said. "Our Supreme Court has been legislating educational funding from the bench." Karrow, a Republican who represents Phillipsburg, said her party has been left out of the discussion. "I want to see members of both parties review and discuss any new educational funding formula," Karrow said. "Unless there is a bipartisan effort it's going to be more of the same." Adler said his goal is to have the committee put the legislation before the state Assembly and Senate by November. Reporter Daniel Hausmann can be reached at 610-258-7171 or by e-mail at dhausmann@express-times.com. © 2006 The Express-Times. Used with permission.