STATE OF NEW JERSEY
219th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2020 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman PARKER SPACE
District 24 (Morris, Sussex and Warren)
Assemblyman HAROLD "HAL" J. WIRTHS
District 24 (Morris, Sussex and Warren)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblyman Peterson
SYNOPSIS
Requires school district's general fund tax levy account for at least 25 percent of school district's total general fund revenue; provides four-year phase-in.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act concerning school district revenue and supplementing P.L.2007, c.260 (C.18A:7F-43 et al.).
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Notwithstanding the provisions of P.L.2007, c.260 (C.18A:7F-43 et al.) or any other section of law to the contrary, in the case of a school district whose general fund tax levy for the budget year accounts for less than 25 percent of the school district's total general fund revenue for the budget year, the commissioner, over a period of four budget years, shall reduce the district's total allocation of State school aid awarded pursuant to P.L.2007, c.260 (C.18A:7F-43 et al.), other than preschool education aid, in an amount necessary to ensure that:
a. in the first subsequent budget year, the district's general fund tax levy equals no less than 6 percent of the district's total general fund revenue;
b. in the second subsequent budget year, the district's general fund tax levy equals no less than 12 percent of the district's total general fund revenue;
c. in the third subsequent budget year, the district's general fund tax levy equals no less than 18 percent of the district's total general fund revenue; and
d. in the fourth and each subsequent budget year, the district's general fund tax levy equals no less that 25 percent of the district's total general fund revenue.
2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall first be applicable to the first full school year following the effective date of this act.
STATEMENT
This bill requires that a school district's general fund tax levy account for at least 25% of the district's total general fund revenue for the budget year, and provides for a four-year phase-in for school districts that are currently not meeting that requirement. Under the bill, in the case of a school district whose general fund tax levy accounts for less than 25% of the district's general fund revenue for the budget year, in the first subsequent budget year the district's general fund tax levy must equal no less than 6% of the district's total general fund revenue; in the second subsequent budget year no less than 12%; in the third subsequent budget year no less than 18%; and in the fourth and each subsequent budget year no less than 25%.