Officials statewide to meet on consolidation
BY KATHY CHANG
Staff Writer

Metuchen

METUCHEN — Mayor Edmund O’Brien and other borough officials were expected to join other mayors from similar boroughs and townships state-wide today to fight the state’s proposals for consolidation.

The bipartisan press conference and rally was expected to be held at 11:30 a.m. on Jan. 4 at Borough Hall.

“These penalty clauses, specifically S-1 and S-38, show no concern for the voters and are being fought by the League of Municipalities,” said O’Brien.

O’Brien was joined by state Sen. Barbara Buono [D-18], mayors across Middlesex County plus mayors from Glen Ridge, Maplewood, Chatham Borough and Cape May Point as well as local school representatives from Metuchen and Point Pleasant to show statewide opposition against Senate Bill S-1 and other proposed bills.

The state Senate bill S-1 — the Municipal Consolidation State to Deny State Aid on Consolidation Vote, which also creates a “Local Unit Alignment, Reorganization and Consolidation Commission,” punishes voters who decide to reject consolidation.

Section 8 of the bill reads: “...If consolidation is not approved, the state aid for which [insert the name of the participating local unit] is eligible shall be withheld for five years and thereafter shall be subject to significant reductions.”

Section 9 of the bill reads, in part: “In the event that the majority of the voters in a municipality do not approve a consolidation proposal put before those voters ..., the municipality shall for a period of three State fiscal years, commencing from the first day of the fiscal year next following that election be ineligible for ‘Supplemental Municipal Property Tax Relief” extraordinary aid ...”

State aid to municipalities is revenue generated by taxpayers. Metuchen received $500,000 of extraordinary state aid last year.

“If we vote for consolidation, we lose to Edison, and if we vote against consolidation, we lose state aid,” said Council President Richard Weber. “It’s a lose-lose situation.”

The bills were supposed to be heard before the state Senate on Dec. 14, but have been tabled until Jan. 8.

Over 300 parents, members of the Municipal Government, school officials and local and state-level politicians came together on Dec. 6 for a presentation on school system consolidation issues held at the Moss School to voice their concerns.

On Nov. 15, the four state bipartisan committees led by a Democratic majority — co-chaired by State Sen. Robert Smith [D-17] and State Sen. and Assemblyman John Wisniewski [D-19] — released a total of 98 proposals, which are meant to bring reform to the state’s property taxes for residents by an average of 20 percent.

Metuchen resident Kim Brenneman said she was particularly concerned by one bill, names S42 in the state Senate and A4 in the Assembly, that expands the powers of the county superintendent of schools.

“These county superintendents would consolidate school management and recommend districts for consolidation,” she said. “These super-superintendents would be a political appointee, not necessarily an educator, and would be chosen by the governor. A two-year appointment for this position also does not appear that it would provide for continuity.”

State Sen. Buono, Assemblymen Patrick Diegnan [D-18], and Peter J. Barnes [D-18] have been voting against the bills, but they have been lone voices.

The Dec. 28 issue of the Sentinel incorrectly printed that the S42 bill was approved through the Assembly on Dec. 12.

The bill that proposed to set up a pilot program rumored to be implemented in a school district in Union County was voted down by the Assembly.

The second bill that proposed to establish a county superintendent of schools where the super-superintendent would be a political appointee was not voted on in the Assembly.

Even though, the bills have passed through the Assembly without avail, the bills still have to go through the Senate.

Municipal Government and school officials urge residents to contact their local lawmakers and oppose the proposed legislation.