Gathering in South Jersey

There has been much in the news over the past year about New Jersey's multiplied municipalities, anywhere between 500 and 600, depending on the latest count.

So there have been calls for reducing extra layers of bureaucracy (and paid bureaucrats are included in that).

The latest push pressures school districts to share administrative staff, as this article from the Inquirer reports today:

The push is to eliminate elementary-only and high school-only districts in favor of districts that offer kindergarten through 12th grade. County superintendents work for the state and, under the 2007 law, were given greater authority over local boards.

In June, Gov. Corzine signed a bill that created a process to eliminate 26 districts that have no schools and merge them with larger districts. But while many applauded that measure, consolidation of operative districts is controversial.

Some communities fear it will weaken their control over schools and school policy. Others question whether consolidations save money.

But, as usual, it isn't as simple as one might think. Pay scales differ in different districts; when districts merge, this may actually raise pay scales in smaller districts, eliminating any savings that extra superintendents may have created.

The other factor in this land of the Revolution where flags with snakes regularly fly (and say, "Dont Tread on Me") is local control.

New Jersey people like to have their input heard and acted upon--locally, for their children, for their neighborhoods, for their communities.

The Pub or Tavern in the Northeast, I was reminded the other day, was the location where all business was transacted--locally--from judges, court cases, and even plans for the War of Independence.

I think the discussion is a good one, but the answer is more difficult than outside critics might like to believe.