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Christie Proposes Scrapping Court-ordered School Funding Formula

by KYW's David Madden

(HILLSBOROUGH, NJ) Look for a battle royal over the last 18 months of New Jersey Governor Chris Christie's term over school funding formulas and property taxes. Christie used a speech in Somerset County to unveil what he calls "The Fairness Formula".

The state Supreme Court has sought over the last 30 years to address funding inequities in poor districts across New Jersey. Christie says the result has created a new inequity.

"58% of the aid from state taxpayers goes to 5% of the school districts," the Governor said, "while 42% of the aid goes to the remaining 95% of school districts. This is absurd."

Christie is proposing a plan to equalize funding for every student in the state which, he says, could dramatically lower the highest property taxes in America. How much? Residents of Cherry Hill could see their taxes drop 17 hundred dollars a year, while those in Haddonfield could see an almost 36 hundred dollar annual reduction.

"This is not a budget cutting proposal," Christie insisted. "This is a budget reallocation proposal based upon fairness to children and the families of this state."

Democrats were quick to criticize Christie's plan, with Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto labeling it "unconstitutional and harmful to our most vulnerable children." Senate President Steve Sweeney called it "a direct attack on the core principles of equality for all of New Jersey's communities, denying too many school children the opportunity for an equal education."

Sweeney and other Democrats are pushing the formation of a commission to develop a 5 year plan to address school funding and property taxes.

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