City Seeks Referendum on School District

CAPE MAY – At its April 1 work session Cape May City Council took what it called “the next step in a process” to seek a more equitable funding formula for the Lower Cape May Regional School District. After adjourning the meeting to a closed executive session of almost an hour, council returned and voted to pass a resolution to formally request the state Commissioner of Education for a referendum question concerning Cape May City’s potential withdrawal from the district arrangement.
During earlier public discussion of the issue, Jerry Gaffney, a former council member and mayor, asked how much has been spent to-date on the attempt to resolve the school funding issue. Deputy Mayor Jack Wichterman said that $58,000 had been spent and $75,000 was set aside for the issue in this year’s budget. Wichterman also indicated that he did not feel they would spend the full amount in this year’s budget. Gaffney expressed the view that little had changed for the positive since a similar attempt was made to change the formula 10 years ago, and asked why the council felt the money would be well spent unless there was a better chance at a positive outcome this time around.
The attempt 10 years ago sought a legislative solution to the matter and was not successful. Wichterman said council was going through the steps to ultimately get the matter in the courts where recent adjudications in other municipalities promise a better result for Cape May.
Lower Cape May Regional School District is an arrangement that supports Lower Township, Cape May, and West Cape May.
Based on the average assessed home values, the state funding formula results in Cape May paying more than $6 million for the education of 65 students. Mayor Edward Mahaney, Jr. pointed to the significant percentage of the city budget that is required by the funding formula. He stated that council had an obligation to seek a more appropriate formula given its responsibility to city taxpayers.
Wichterman noted that the city does not expect that a referendum would result in any change. “With 2,000 voters in the city, we would lose any referendum,” he said. However, he pointed out, this is a step that is required if the city is going to seek resolution in the courts.
Both Mahaney and Councilman William Murray were at pains to point out that they did not really want to withdraw from the district. What they seek is a more equitable funding arrangement. In response to claims that any loss of Cape May funding would do significant damage to the quality of education in the district, council members repeatedly stated that their goal was not to diminish the education levels in any way. Once the vote on the resolution was taken, the council went back into executive session.
Recycling of Electronics
Mahaney opened the council meeting by reading a proposal from the Cape May County Municipal Utilities Authority (MUA) to assume the task of recycling of electronics for municipalities. The MUA had operated a program since 2001 to give individuals a way to properly dispose of electronic waste. In January 2011, however, a new state law went into effect that prohibits landfill deposits of electronic waste. The law placed responsibility for collection on the electronic manufactures who have thus far resisted the move.
The proposal discussed and then approved by council involves the city in the collection of electronic waste with the MUA assuming recycling responsibility. Mahaney noted that this would not impose any significant cost on the city and would prevent such waste from accumulating on curbs and at waste disposal sites. This will require a “change to our solid waste and recycling contract” he said. “But it is a good move for the city. The state is not in the recycling business any longer,” he said.
To contact Vince Conti, email vconti@cmcherald.com.