You would think by now the mandate to reform school spending and our overall tax structure at this point would reach a state of urgency amongst our state legislators – well, apparently not. The call to a constitutional convention to revamp our tax structure continues to receive politically-driven delays. This absolutely baffles me.
Much of our attention has been focused upon our revenue generation, and how our existing tax dollars are allocated to cover the costs of schools and public services. However, we have to take a hard, honest look at school and public-sector spending, and employ key policy and structural changes that will have long-standing benefits, rather than the typical, short-term Band-Aid approaches our legislators put forth.
In particular, the time has come to consolidate school districts, and to employ shared service agreements between and among all public agencies, inclusive of service aggregation such as utilities, joint insurance, etc. There has been exhaustive analysis and research in how we can realize dramatic efficiencies if we can streamline governmental and school systems – and some movement, including recent legislation and even a state grant program that provides planning and implementation funding to realize shared service agreements.
Given our fiscal conditions, our legislators have to move from rhetoric and research to policy. “Home rule” and territorial rifts between our public agencies have to stop. In a state the size of New Jersey, there is no need for more than 550 superintendents of schools, more than 550 business administrators, more than 500 distinct transportation systems, disjointed insurance policies and food management systems. This is why only 68 of every tax dollar makes it way into the classroom.
Clearly, there is no magic pill, and much work has to be done. The main point here is much work has been done; however, only with respect to analysis, research, and ultimately rhetoric. The time for action is now – the time for the constitutional convention is now.
Jorge Cruz
North Brunswick