What can be done to stop the spending excesses of the Neptune School System? Blogfinger photo. ©
TO THE EDITOR:
Due to the extremely high property taxes levied on Ocean Grove, some desperate residents have turned to renting out their homes and some are planning to move out of town and even out of state.
The school tax plays a big part in Ocean Grove’s dilemma, being the majority of the tax bill. But the paradox is that an extremely small percentage of residents sent their children to Neptune Township Schools and many residents do not even reside in Ocean Grove during the winter months.
The school tax should be based on the number of students from Ocean Grove and not grouped in with the numberof students from Neptune Township. We have the power to stop this!
From: FAIR IS FAIR, OCEAN GROVE, August 10, 2017
The writer is a resident of OG, but we do not know his/her name.
EDITOR’S NOTE: During a radio interview on July 28, Gov Christie said that “NJ residents deserve blame on property taxes, too.”
Regarding school taxes: “All we want to do is complain about it,” Christie said of school taxes, the largest segment of property tax bills, “but if I go to somebody’s town and say, hell, your property taxes are like this because look at how much your school taxes are … we are going to take the steps that are necessary to do that.”
Christie said the response at that point is typically, ” ‘No, no, no! Not in my town!’ ‘
“The Money Song” from the off-Broadway show Avenue Q (We couldn’t find a song called “Charity Begins at Home.”)
This post is about whether a new method of collecting school taxes might be considered, as expressed in the letter to the editor . It is not about whether education is important, whether smart workers are essential, whether no financing for education is an option, whether teachers are underpaid, etc.
Please stick to the subject as stated in the letter.
If someone wants to bring up a new issue or topic, then they could send an email letter to the editor, or a “just wondering” segment or even just an email to Blogfinger (blogfinger@verizon.net). But please stay on the issue being considered. And please try to use your real name, but we will accept anonymous submissions. —–PG
I do not mind that 47% of my tax bill goes to the Neptune school district when I have no children attending those schools.
Why should I have to pay for someone else’s kids so they can go to school?
I must disagree strongly. Every person — with or without children — benefits greatly from good schools. Our society depends on an educated, literate population.
Anyone who feels schools waste money should spend some time volunteering in a classroom. You will quickly see how poorly funded our teachers are and how they must use their own money to purchase supplies for the kids.
And if you feel the school administration is bloated, then run for the school board and see where you might make cuts.