NJ can REMOVE SCHOOL TAX  from our  PROPERTY TAX

.

Attention:  NJ Home Owners & Tenants

Property Tax Reform | Auto Ins. | Membership | Constitution | Contact Us | ARP-NJ Home

The State of Michigan removed school taxes from property taxes over 4 years ago.  That is why they deserve the blue ribbon.

Michigan took it a step further and ensured the local School Board retained control

HOW MICHIGAN STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION DID IT !

ARTHUR ELLIS - Superintendent of Public Instruction DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION P.O. Box 30008    Lansing, Michigan 48909 http://www.state.mi.us/mde March 16, 1999 Dear Mr. Wagenti: During 1993 and 1994, the Michigan Legislature and Governor Engler passed legislation and the Michigan electorate approved "Proposal A," significantly changing the way public sebools are financed in Michigan. Prior to the 1994-95 fiscal year, local public schools received the majority of their funding from local property taxes. The distribution of state funds for public K-12 education was based upon a millage equalizing formula and numerous "categorical" or special purpose grants. Both high property taxes and growing dissatisfaction with inequities in funding caused by wide variations in the property tax base from district to district spurred state government to enact a series of laws to bring about dramatic changes. Following approval of "Proposal A" in March of 1994, the sources of funding for K-12 public education shifted: property taxes as a source of education funding were reduced from over 60% of the total needed to approximately 32% of the funding for public schools; the rates of state taxes also changed, with the most significant change being in the state's sales tax, increasing from 4% to 6%. The state is now levying a state education property tax of 6 mills on all property. The total school operating property tax is now 6 mills on most homes in Michigan, and 24 mills on most business and non-homestead property. This compares to an average 35 mills of school operating property taxes in 1993 and before. The new fimding distribution formula is based upon an effort to maintain the same level of per pupil revenues available to each local school district that the district had in the previous year. Districts also see an increase in funding each year; however, in order to address equity in funding across the state, those with the lowest revenue levels experience the greatest increases, and those at the highest levels experience the smallest increases. There is no longer an association between the level of the state funding guarantee and the local millage rate since most districts now levy taxes at the same rate. For the most part, the reduction in local tax revenue was made up by an associated increase in state revenue to the district. Budget decision-making was shifted to the local district by combining many previously ear-marked (categorical) funds into a foundation grant. That is, the same total level of funding is available but decisions as to which programs to continue or expand and which programs to reduce are the responsibility of the local district. On July 31, 1997, the Michigan Supreme Court rendered a final decision in the 17-year-long Durant v. State of Michigan case and ordered the state to pay the 84 plainfiff school districts $212 million for prior years of under funding for mandated programs including special education and school lunch. To provide for a comparable level of funding for districts that were not plaintiffs in the case, legislation approved by the Governor and Legislature in November 1997 combined cash payments and bonding opportunities totaling approximately $636 million to be made available to districts over the next several years. The method of funding special education was also revamped to guarantee that school districts receive, at minimum, the reimbursement rate required by the State Constitution. Enclosed for your information is a copy of the Michigan Compiled State School Aid Act, as amended through November 1997. This is the statute that appropriates funds for public schools in Michigan. Also enclosed are documents that provide descriptions and exercises to assist the reader in gaining a more complete understanding of Michigan's school finance system, and copies of tables that contain historical school aid fund revenue information and basic school finance comparison data for the most recent period prior to the reform. Another excellent source of information on the recent changes is C. Philip Kearney's A Primer on Michigan School Finance (Third Edition, 1994). Dr. Kearney's office at the School of Education, University of Michigan, can be contacted by calling (313) 764-8416. ~Elaine Madigan Mills, Director Office of State Aid and School Finance Enclosure

IF MICHIGAN CAN DO IT - NEW JERSEY CAN DO IT

How are we in NJ going to do that?

TEAMWORK

There are more registered independents in New Jersey than there are Republicans and Democrats together.  If a registered Independent wanted to be a Republican or Democrat, they would have registered that way.

JOIN THE ARP of NJ

WE HOLD THE POWER TO CONTROL HOW OUR TAXES ARE USED.