Common Sense For New Hampshire

Some good press from the Star:

 Schneck proposes resolution for division of income tax dollars

By Molly Mulshine

Belmar resident David Schneck approached the dais at the July 6 council meeting to suggest a resolution to members of the governing body regarding the division of tax dollars for educational funding.

The proposed resolution, which Mr. Schneck obtained from Sen. Mike Doherty’s [R-23] website, fairschoolfunding.com, calls upon the state legislature to “fulfill its constitutionally assigned duty to distribute the state aid for education to the school districts in this state in a fair manner that is for the equal benefit of all the people of the state and not by means that are prejudiced by the actions of special interests.”

“Our state income tax is supposed to be for property tax relief,” Mr. Schneck said. “The residents of Belmar pay over $4.5 million a year in state income tax and we get back about half a million dollars out of that in property tax relief.”

The rest of this money is given to urban towns, Mr. Schneck said.

“Basically, the suburban towns are being used to subsidize the political machines of the urban towns, so we’re paying for education twice,” Mr. Schneck said. “First we’re paying income tax and we’re not getting any of that back, then we have to pay again in property tax in order to run [Belmar’s] schools.”

Mr. Schneck called this division of resources “a real injustice … All I’m asking for is a fair school funding formula. This is not a Democratic or Republican resolution. This is not in support of any law. All this is saying is that we think we should get our fair share of state educational dollars to come right back here to Belmar.

 “I don’t see how anyone could object to it,” Mr. Schneck added.

Mr. Schneck, who ran for council as an Independent last year and is currently the Libertarian candidate for the state Assembly, 11th district, has brought this resolution to the council’s attention three times since June 1.

The resolution has been passed by five towns, two counties and a board of education in New Jersey, he said.

Mayor Matt Doherty suggested Mr. Schneck take the resolution to the Belmar Board of Education.

“I’d like to see what the board of education has to say about this,” Mayor Doherty said. “If they thought it was a great idea, I’d be more inclined to do it.”

The board of education is “already getting what they need to run the school,” Mr. Schneck said. “This is for property tax relief.

“Regardless of what we do with it, certainly the money is better off here in Belmar than in Hoboken and Camden,” Mr. Schneck said. “If there was an equitable distribution of the state income tax relief going out to all the people of New Jersey, Belmar would be getting back $3.1 million more than we get now.”

The council was slated to vote on this resolution at last night’s meeting, held at borough hall at 8 p.m.