6 NJ districts may see property taxes rise due to school aid cuts

When Gov. Murphy announces a victory, you always have to look underneath for the real story. That’s because in a tax and spend administration like Murphy’s, any time you take money away from somebody in New Jersey, the taxpayers usually have to make up the difference.

That’s why you should read any headline in NJ with the words “budget cuts” with skepticism. Democrats generally don’t save us any money when they make “cuts.” They just ask us to pay the difference.

This time Gov. Murphy is touting the success of the almost $10 billion of direct education funding going to schools for the 2022–23 school year.

I’m one of those people that is thrilled anytime school budgets are cut. It’s not that I don’t like kids or that I don’t value their educations, but I think schools cost too much to run here in the state. And most of it is wasted on stuff that schools do not need. (The whole public school system is broken, but that’s a different topic about which I will rant another time)

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Let’s not even discuss the fact that we pour so much into over-bloated administration, more unnecessary programs and overall district waste that we really wouldn’t need a dime more for schools if we just budgeted properly and got rid of the dead weight.

But, even assuming that you would be happy about the direct aid, and thought it was good news, you wouldn’t if you lived in one of the six counties that are getting less money this year.

Those are Sussex, Ocean, Monmouth, Hudson, Cumberland and Hunterdon.

Let me reiterate. It’s not that these counties really need the budget increase. As I stated before, no district in New Jersey really does. If we got rid of 43 vice principals, and unnecessary administrative positions, and really streamlined the school budget, we would do very well with the thousands—if not tens of thousands—of dollars we’re already spending to educate EACH PUPIL here in the state.

But, since no one is willing to cut staff or consolidate or make any changes at ALL, really, to our public school system, those counties are going to have to make up for the money that they’re no longer getting. And guess where that money is probably going to have to come from? If you said the taxpayer, you’re probably right.

I predict that this will eventually mean a significant increase in property taxes for the people in those six counties.

School aid for all New Jersey districts for 2022-23

The state Department of Education announced district-level school aid figures for the 2022-23 school year on Thursday, March 10, 2022. They're listed below, alphabetically by county. For additional details from the NJDOE, including specific categories of aid, click here.

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Judi Franco only.

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Best coffee shops & cafes near NJ beaches

When it comes to food, New Jersey is known for many things such as pizza and pork roll. Don't count us out when it comes to coffee.

With all the hustle and bustle involved in the average New Jersey resident's day, coffee is essential. It doesn't matter whether you're living in the cities of North Jersey or the vacation spots at the shore.

In fact, as the former owner of two Jersey shore coffee houses, Coffee Dot Comedy in Sea Isle City and the Daily Grind in Ocean Grove, I know firsthand how much people at the Jersey shore love their coffee.

With respect to that, I asked my social media following where the best coffee houses at the Jersey Shore were, especially since my two places no longer exist.

Below is what they came up with. (And see this other article for their coffee shop and cafe recommendations for Central Jersey.)