Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman AMY H. HANDLIN
District 13 (Monmouth)
Assemblyman PATRICK J. DIEGNAN, JR.
District 18 (Middlesex)
SYNOPSIS
Authorizes Commissioner of Education to convene meeting when a constituent municipality in a regional school district is impacted by natural or other disaster; provides for temporary modification of tax levy apportionment methodology.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning the apportionment of the tax levy in certain regional school districts and supplementing chapter 13 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. As used in this act, “significantly impacted by a natural or other disaster” means that, as a result of a natural or other disaster, the equalized valuations of any constituent municipality when divided by the total equalized valuations of all the constituent municipalities is greater than .10 plus or .10 minus the result expressed as a decimal of the equalized valuations of the constituent municipality divided by the total equalized valuations of all constituent municipalities in the prior school year.
2. In the event that at least one constituent municipality of a regional school district is significantly impacted by a natural or other disaster, the Commissioner of Education may convene a meeting with representatives of the regional school district and each constituent school district, if applicable. The purpose of the meeting shall be to discuss the manner in which the appropriations of the regional school district are apportioned. Prior to the meeting, the commissioner shall provide the representatives with the apportionment of appropriations prior to the disaster and estimates of the apportionment of appropriations after the disaster upon the basis of equalized valuations, pupil enrollment, and a combination of 50% equalized valuations and 50% pupil enrollment.
3. Notwithstanding any provision of law or regulation to the contrary, a regional school district may modify the manner in which the appropriations of the regional school district are apportioned for a period not to exceed two school years if at least one of the constituent municipalities was significantly impacted by a natural or other disaster within the prior 12 months. Any modification shall require the agreement of the superintendent and board of education of the regional school district, the superintendents and boards of education of each constituent school district, if applicable, and the mayors of each constituent municipality. Any modification shall require the commissioner’s approval, who shall consult with the Director of the Division of Local Government Services in the Department of Community Affairs prior to making a decision.
4. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill authorizes the Commissioner of Education to convene a meeting with representatives from regional school districts when at least one constituent municipality is significantly impacted by a natural or other disaster. The purpose of the meeting will be to discuss the manner in which the regional district’s tax levy is apportioned among the constituent municipalities. The bill also authorizes a regional school district that has been impacted by a natural or other disaster to modify its tax levy apportionment methodology within one year of the disaster’s occurrence. The modification, which may remain in effect for no more than two school years, would require the agreement of the superintendent and board of education of the regional school district, the superintendents and boards of education of each constituent school district, if applicable, and the mayors of each constituent municipality. The commissioner would also have to approve the modification.