Wichterman Goes To Trenton to Plead for Change in Regional School Funding Formula

CAPE MAY — On April 9, Deputy Mayor Jack Wichterman went to Trenton and met with the deputy chief of staff to Gov. Chris Christie along with an attorney to discuss the problem of regional school funding formulas.
Cape May is currently paying $72,000 for each student sent to Lower Cape May Regional School District.
Wichterman said it was a very positive meeting.
“After briefing them on what had gone on since 1956, I said ‘Am I wasting my time sitting here to talking to you people?’” said Wichterman. “She said ‘If I thought you were wasting your time, you wouldn’t be sitting here.’”
He said the deputy chief of staff said it might be time for the state to consider changing the funding formula for regional schools.
Wichterman said the funding formula came into being in 1974 with no input from the municipalities.
“There are only two municipalities that are in regional school systems that do not adhere to strictly funding the school through the values of property,” he said. “The rest of them, like us, we are all saddled with this one formula.”
He predicted the cost per student next year may increase to $80,000 per child for Cape May taxpayers.
Wichterman said he is assembling, with the assistance of Cape May Solicitor Tony Monzo, other examples within the state “where these gross inequities are taking place.”
He said Monzo provided the names of three regional school systems. Wichteran said he has contacted the districts.
“If you think we have it bad, Seaside Park is paying $112,000 per child to put their kids into their regional school,” he said. “It boggles the mind they have allowed this to happen.”
Wichterman said our legislators may want to be reelected “but they might want to do something that’s correct also and it’s not correct what’s happening right now.”
He said by the end of the week, he would have provided the state with the information on regional school costs.
Wichterman said he is prepared to return to Trenton at any time to continue the meetings.
He said he pointed out to the deputy chief of staff that although property values in Cape May have increased over the years that doesn’t mean that the folks living in these homes are millionaires.
“All they may have is their property,” said Wichterman.
He suggested special legislation could provide state funding to compensate Cape May for paying such a large amount to the regional school district or the funding formula could be changed.
Wichterman said he told the deputy chief of staff he did not believe Cape May would get any legislators “to have the backbone to say ‘We’ve got to change this because it’s not right.’”
“I’m not trying to hurt the folks in either West Cape May or Lower Township but not a single one of them voted for me or for you guys,” he said. “We have go to work for the folks within the City of Cape May and that’s what we are trying to do.”