On April 15, the state Assembly passed bill A4161, which assists schools in offsetting their reduced state aid by raising property taxes. The Assembly passed the bill with a 52-20 vote allowing certain school districts, which faced reduced state aid in the past five years (226 districts, around 40% of all districts), to hike property taxes by up to 9.9% without prior voter consent.
The situation worsens as the increase becomes part of the new base, perpetuating the elevated levy. Moreover, schools are prohibited from staff reductions except in cases of enrollment decline and with pre-approval from the Department of Education Commissioner.
In essence, it’s not just a repeal; it’s a dismantling of the 2% cap, alarming residents of New Jersey.
Assemblyman Jay Webber (R-26) condemned Democrats for treating the detrimental consequences of their flawed school funding formula as if facing a natural disaster, rather than addressing the issue head-on. He explained how their temporary fix eviscerates a 2010 state law that limited property tax increases to 2% and circumvents the requirement for public approval on significant property tax hikes.
