N.J. Assembly Quietly Votes to End 2% Property Tax Cap for Schools

 Well, just saw this piece here in the Morris County Focus that reports that the state Assembly passed bill A4161 by a vote of 52-20, which assists schools that had reduced state aid to increase property taxes by more than the 2% Cap.

Seems the taxpayers are always left out of the loop when it comes to school taxes. 

First, if we moved school elections to November, we lost our right to vote on school budgets unless it exceeded the 2% Cap. Then, recently - even if you stayed with April elections or moved the elections back to April, you also lost the right to vote on school budgets under the 2% Cap.

Now, we have this which allows schools districts who faced state aid cuts in the last 5 years to hike property taxes by up to 9.9%, which will grow exponentially.

Not for nothing but school budgets are the worse when it comes to treating the one stakeholder that pays all the bills - the taxpayer.

Think about it. It's a budget you don't get to vote on unless it exceeds the 2% Cap (and Now if this passes the Senate, if you're in one of those districts that had reduced state aid over the last 5 years - the Cap is basically eliminated), a budget that goes down to the County Super for approval before you can even see it. 

Then, once approved by the County Super - it rarely ever changes, and gets the School Board's stamp of approval in their Public meeting. You see, once the County Super approves it - it doesn't really matter what you think, you're just the unfortunate stakeholder who has to pay all the bills.

Even if they stay under the 2% Cap, there's something called the Cap Bank which accumulates all the dollars under the 2% Cap to be used over the next 3 years to raise taxes above the 2% Cap. 

No doubt in this town after the state aid money starts to dwindle (and it will) and their ridiculous $pending continues, they'll be looking to take that money back - and add that tax on your back.

And once they're done Mis-$pending all that money and come to the realization that the only way to solve the Overcrowding problem in this town is with a New School - then they'll have a hard time trying to sell what will have to be a Humongous School Bond Referendum.

Something they should of properly addressed a long time ago and if we didn't have Mr. Shi-shed at the helm with those Mis-quided and Ridiculously Overpriced School Bond Referendums that wouldn't of solved the problem, it could have already been done.

Seems all we're left with is the School Board to keep check on these often Outrageous $pending School Budgets and unfortunately, in this town, they do very little to Keep the Out-of-Control $pending in check and make sure we are $pending the all that money the right way.

Anyhoo, until we recognize that until we have Board Members who actually understand the meaning of Oversight and Stop with the Political nonsense, nothing will change in this town and you'll continue to get School Budgets that now are up to $367 million and with all that state aid and hoarded money recognize we still haven't properly addressed the Overcrowding problem.