'We are not crying wolf': Even with extra NJ aid, more taxes, Toms River school cuts loom

TOMS RIVER - Toms River Regional is slated to receive $1.2 million in additional state funding under an additional aid package passed this week by the state Legislature. But the money is a drop in the bucket compared to the $26.5 million budget gap the district needs to fill, Superintendent Mike Citta said.

"We are not crying wolf," Citta said at a Board of Education meeting. He said the new bill also allows districts that have lost state education funding to raise property taxes by up to 9.9%, well above the 2% previous cap on tax increases. Raising taxes by that much would increase the cost for the owner of a home assessed at $400,000 by $325 a year, and bring in an additional $13 million, Citta said.

That would still leave Toms River $12.4 million short.

"We continue to work towards that solution," Citta said, saying he remains hopeful that the state will either increase aid, allow districts like Toms River to get loans, or come up with another solution.

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The superintendent repeated his previous description of what a $26.5 million funding cut would do to Toms River schools. The district would have to cut 368 staff members — 20% of the workforce — and also eliminate advanced placement classes, sports and extracurricular activities like clubs and plays. Most of the cuts would be to the teaching staff, Citta has said.

The district has already cut 250 staff positions over the past few years as education funding has fallen steadily under S2, New Jersey's school funding legislation. The state has funneled money to growing districts and taken away money from school systems such as Toms River, where enrollment has dropped.

Other Shore districts, including Neptune, Jackson, Brick, Lacey, Plumsted, Asbury Park and Middletown, have also lost millions of dollars in state education aid. Toms River Regional has the lowest per-pupil cost in the state for districts of 3,500 students or more.

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The board delayed a vote on the 2024-2025 budget; the legislation passed earlier this week allows district that have suffered funding cuts to delay adopting their spending plans until after the state's budget is adopted.

School Board member Anna Polozzo, who heads the budget and finance committee, expressed frustration and anger at Toms River Regional's continuing struggle to properly fund its 18 schools.

"As a member of this board and a parent in the district, and a taxpayer in the community, I am extremely exhausted and completely and totally sick of begging our state legislators and the Department of Education to allow us to provide a thorough and efficient education," Polozzo said.

Board member Ashley Lamb urged more community members to attend Board of Education meetings, which are normally attended by only a handful of citizens.

"Our staff and our administration could not crunch this budget anymore to make this budget work," Lamb said. "We have to just put it in the hands of the state."

She added, "I would like to hear from the public, the people that I represent. I don't think they would be comfortable with a 9.9% tax increase."

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"We have been in a budget crisis since 2010," Polozzo responded. "If (we must raise) our tax rate 9.9% to get an extra $13 million, by all means, I will do that."

"We have been suffering what appears to be the death of a thousand cuts since 2010," board member Kevin Kidney said.

Jean Mikle covers Toms River, Seaside Heights, and several other Ocean County towns. She's also passionate about the Shore's storied music scene. Contact her: @jeanmikle,  jmikle@gannettnj.com.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Toms River schools: Extra NJ aid can't avoid big school job cuts