By: centraljersey.com
Township Council has thrown its support behind a proposed bill that would require private schools and colleges to reimburse public school districts for the cost of educating the children of faculty members who live in tax-exempt campus housing.
This is the same bill, proposed by state Sen. Shirley K. Turner (D-15th Legislative District), that the Lawrence Township Board of Education endorsed earlier this year. Last week, the school board called on the New Jersey School Boards Association to help push the bill forward.
Sen. Turner introduced the bill in 2001, but it has been bottled up in the Senate Education Committee. It would require "a non-public school" that educates children in grades nine through 12 to "annually make a payment for any student who resides in a tax-exempt facility located on property owned by the nonpublic school and (who) is enrolled in a public school district or charter school."
The Lawrenceville School, which would be affected by the proposed bill, sent 38 students to the Lawrence Township public school district in the 2009-10 school year who lived in tax-exempt campus housing. The school would have paid about $570,000 to the school district, based on an estimated cost of $15,000 per student, according to school district officials.
Township Council, meanwhile, approved a resolution in support of the bill by a 3-1-1 vote Tuesday night. Mayor Michael Powers and Councilmen Jim Kownacki and Greg Puliti voted for the resolution.
Councilwoman Pam Mount abstained because her daughter and son-in-law teach at The Lawrenceville School. They live in on-campus housing with their children.
Councilman Bob Bostock cast the lone "no" vote on the resolution. He said that while he was in "complete sympathy with the goal and intent" behind it, he did not think this was the best approach. The bill only applies to property taxes to support public school districts, he said.
"The bill sets a bad precedent," Mr. Bostock said.
Mr. Bostock said "it would be far better" to ask the Legislature to amend the law to remove the tax-exempt status that is applied to campus housing for administrators, faculty and staff. The housing would be assessed and taxed, "just as any other property should be," he said.
The councilman said he had prepared a draft resolution calling for the Legislature to introduce such legislation and that he would like the resolution to be considered by the council at a subsequent meeting.
Mayor Powers said that he understood Mr. Bostock’s point, but township officials have spoken to The Lawrenceville School officials about a voluntary contribution. The private school contributed $35,000 in 2009 to Lawrence Township, and is expected to donate the same amount this year.
Mr. Puliti, who asked for the resolution in support of Sen. Turner’s bill to be placed on this week’s agenda, said he would "look forward" to working with Mr. Bostock on his proposed resolution and taking action on it when it is ready.
"We are trying to do something about the taxes," Mr. Puliti said.

