As New Jersey schools prepare to open, another year of challenges for each and every school board lies ahead.   Taxpayer money is tighter than ever; the 2 percent state-mandated spending cap has already forced many schools to eliminate gifted and talented programs, languages, elective classes and extracurricular activities. Many of our 602 separate school districts can no longer provide cost-effective and efficient management of our schools.  

LAMBERTVILLE — About eight weeks remain before voters here, in Stockton and in West Amwell decide whether the four existing school districts that govern the education of their children are dissolved and replaced by a single district covering pre-K to grade 12.  

SCOTCH PLAINS/FANWOOD,  NJ - At its first organizational meeting, the Fanwood-Scotch Plains Consolidation Commission dealt with many agenda items, including voting in Matthew Juckes of Fanwood as one of the commissioners, and then swearing in 10 of the commissioners and two of the alternates. One alternate was unable to be present, and there is one alternate position yet to be filled.

When the non-profit organization Courage to Connect NJ holds its third annual seminar at Princeton University on June 5, Princeton’s successful consolidation will be the focus of the day. And now that the town is assured of the 20 percent reimbursement for consolidation costs that Governor Chris Christie pledged during a visit to Princeton nearly two years ago, the lineup of Princeton officials taking part in the day’s sessions is especially relevant.

This interview with Executive Director Gina Genovese originally appeared on Keystone Politics. 

When the merger of Princeton Borough and Princeton Township was proposed, advocates said it would result in more efficient government and lower tax bills.   

PRINCETON — The savings that encouraged the former borough and township of Princeton to merge into a single town started to appear last night as the town introduced a $61 million budget and announced a tax rate decrease of just under 1 percent.

By Liz Lempert

Local governments everywhere are faced with a tough challenge: how to manage increasing costs — especially for health care and pensions — without cutting back on important services or burdening residents with always-ballooning property taxes

PRINCETON - Paving the way can be a bumpy ride sometimes. There are the accolades and the state spotlight for being a leader, and then there’s difficulty of blazing a trail into uncharted territory. Princeton traveled that rocky road as it consolidated last year from two towns into one.