After Middletown, NJ uproar, municipal leaders come to the rescue of schools

💲 Middletown school district has been mulling closing schools, layoffs

💲 Officials have proposed massive tax increases

💲 Municipal officials

MIDDLETOWN — The municipal government is stepping in to spare the school district from closing schools and laying off workers.

The Middletown Board of Education angered residents when it proposed merging or closing three schools and raising taxes.

Mayor Tony Perry said that the Township Committee and the Board of Education have come up with a plan that will raise $2.6 million in revenue for the schools. The plan includes:

⚫ Using the Open Space Trust Fund to purchase 10 acres of land already owned by the school district on Sleepy Hollow Lane and Kings Highway. This will transfer $2 million to the school district.

⚫ Renegotiating with police officers assigned to schools to save the district $600,000.

The school district would raise its taxes by 5.8%.

The plan would keep class sizes the same and not lay off any teachers. It would, however, eliminate some administrative and staff positions.

The school district and the municipal government are separate entities with their own budgets.

Perry thanked parents, teachers and residents who made their voices heard.

"You showed up for our kids and I'm incredibly grateful. Your voices were heard and your involvement is very much appreciated," Perry, a Republican, said. This is how Middletown works when our schools are at risk. We have to come together. This Township committee came together and we will lead with solutions, not politics, and we will put these schools first."

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Less of a tax increase

Middletown police Chief Craig Weber agreed to absorb half the cost of the officers in the schools.

Perry said the proposal includes a 1% tax hike in addition to a 4.8% increase that was already approved by the Board of Education, making for a total increase of 5.8%. It is far less than a recent proposal to raise school taxes.

"With this plan being solid in the sense that it's not closing the schools, it's preventing a 10.1% tax increase, it is not eliminating any teachers that are currently in the classrooms, and it's paring down the administrative costs and administrative positions that exist I think that this solution and proposal has a very good chance of being successful on Tuesday," Perry said.

The board has a special meeting on Tuesday.

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Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com or via Twitter @DanAlexanderNJ