By Katrina Grant
Shamong Township schools recently received additional state funding that will be used for taxpayer relief, officials said.
In a 3–2 state Supreme Court ruling that took place in May, the court ruled that the state had to restore approximately $500 million to Abbott districts. Abbott districts are low-income school districts and there are 31 in the state.
Last week, the state announced that it is giving the Abbott districts $450 million and an additional $150 million to non-Abbott districts. The state is also giving an additional $250 million to all school districts for the 2012 budget year. This equals to $850 million in additional aid to the school districts for the year. While many school districts don’t know if this funding will be around next year, they are putting plans together as to what to do with the money this year.
Shamong, which had a budget cut off $631,021 last year, will receive $3,977,940 in total funding from the state for the 2011–12 school year. This includes an additional $126,356 in funding that the school district was informed of last week. The state will begin to send the funding in September.
“The state aid is sent to us in 20 equal bi-monthly installments starting September,” School Business Administrator Michael Mados said.
Throughout the various 591 school districts in New Jersey, many will apply the money in different ways. Some may restore staff, programs; give the money back to the taxpayers or a mix of some of these options.
Shamong has decided to give the additional $126,356 back to the taxpayers in the form of property tax relief. The tax relief will be around three cents or $42 for the average Shamong Township homeowner, officials said.
Shamong is not sure of whether the additional funding will be around next year, and, because it is returning the additional funding back to the taxpayers, the $126,356 will not affect the 2011–12 school year budget, as it is already in place. This year’s budget offers little to no program or staffing cuts.
