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The Lakewood Times

Schools Funded By Property Taxes-Inequitable For Students, Unfair To Homeowners

3/31/2013

2 Comments

 
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From their beginnings, public schools in the United States have been viewed as institutions that served their local communities. Initially, those schools were often financed by voluntary contributions, but by the end of the 19th century the tradition of funding them through local property taxes was widespread. This tradition had real advantages because many families were living in small, relatively isolated communities with similar standards of living.

But as time passed, fewer people lived in such communities. Instead, more people crowded into major cities, and then—if they achieved “success”—moved to the suburbs that came to surround those urban centers. As the suburbs grew, the inhabitants retained the tradition of funding public schools through local property taxes, but now this system was flawed. Parents who moved to affluent suburbs were generally willing to fund well-equipped, well-staffed public schools for their own children, but—familiar only with the tradition that public schools should be funded locally—they saw little reason to pay additional taxes to fund equivalent schools for the impoverished students left behind in city centers or rural towns.

And then there is Lakewood. A town where most of the homeowners send their children to private schools. A town where most of those attending public school do not own a home and many do not even live in a legal rental. Lakewood, a town that continues to build homes in which the tax bill does not cover the cost of busing or the many children with special needs.

The time has come for our state to rethink how to fund the public school system that will be equitable for all communities. A fair system for those that use private schools, for senior developments, and for districts burdened with educating the immigrant population.
The only problem is that our current legislature is too busy doing favors for their special interests to do anything about our real problems.
HH
2 Comments
long time lakewood resident
3/31/2013 03:49:20 am

QUOTE"And then there is Lakewood. A town where most of the homeowners send their children to private schools. A town where most of those attending public school do not own a home and many do not even live in a legal rental. Lakewood, a town that continues to build homes in which the tax bill does not cover the cost of busing or the many children with special needs"
lets take the very first statement about sending children to private school ,why is that even an issue ? no one is forced to do that that is a decission soley made by the parents and like all "private" schooling is not and should not be funded by anyone else accept those using that service. Where do you sugest funds come from to pay for the education of the public schools if not from the tax base of the homeowners within a township ? I would say if that is changed to a county or state form of financing then in all fairness they would be the ones running them and you would have to do away with local BOE ,would that be acceptable? I do agree that a county wide sysytem might be a more cost effective way of public education with a county BOE instaed of each town having redundant boards .Now lets talk about transportation ,if this town looked at the issues that are present it is of their own making ,schools both private and public should be centrally located instead of being scttered all over the town to minumize busing routes .
in all fairness many of lakewoods problems are due to those who created the mess in the first place and now want someone else to fix it at everyone elses expense

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Anonymous
3/31/2013 01:01:40 pm

A while back Lakewood Township offered the Orthodox a large piece of property upon which to build all their schools, thereby consolidating them all into one place. However, the Orthodox turned the offer down.
My question - Why did the Orthodox turn the offer down? It was free land. This in turn would have saved a lot of busing thereby saving a lot of taxpayer money.

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