BOE Gets More Time to Decide What to Do with Additional State School Aid

The Parsippany-Troy Hills Board of Education has more time to decide whether to use an additional $1.25 million in state aid to schools to provide tax relief to local property owners. The original deadline given by the state Department of Education was for 4 p.m. Tuesday, but the department agreed today to provide an undefined amount of extra time to allow boards to meet and discuss the matter.

Last week, DOE officials announced that New Jersey schools would receive an additional $850 million, including $450 million for low-income Abbott schools.

"Many of the boards in Morris County meet on either Monday or Tuesday, so they had already met prior to getting the information about the additional funds," said Parsippany Board President Frank Calabria.

The Parsippany Board of Education began discussing the matter at its July 14 meeting. Superintendent LeRoy Seitz explained that there were three options for using the increased state aid: giving it back to taxpayers right away, using it for needed school district expenses or putting it toward tax relief in the next school year.

At the meeting, board member Mike Strumolo insisted that there was not enough time to make a fully considered vote.

The next day, to the consternation of some of his board colleagues, Strumolo changed his mind and announced that he did want to give the money back to taxpayers.

Now, the board members have their chance: President Calabria said the body will meet Wednesday night at the Board of Education building, 292 Parsippany Rd., at 7 p.m. Part of the agenda will include a visit from a representative of the New Jersey School Boards Association.