This post is a way of highlighting new data I have on Local Fair Share.
You can judge overtaxing in two ways: taxes relative to the value of the property and taxes relative to the incomes of the residents. New Jersey's formula for Local Fair Share for schools factors in both of these considerations by using a district's Equalized Valuation and its Total Income.
The formula for Local Fair Share is the following:
Equalized Valuation * 0.014909959 * 50% + Total Income * 0.052921406 * 50% = Local Fair Share
| County | District Name | Previous Year Tax Levy | Local Fair Share | Tax Levy as percentage of Local Fair Share | Aid Deficit/Surplus Per Student | Spending Per Student |
| PASSAIC | MANCHESTER REGIONAL | $10,345,405 | $5,835,285 | 177.29% | -$10,737 | $12,925 |
| HUNTERDON | MILFORD BORO | $1,783,737 | $1,088,988 | 163.80% | $1,223 | $20,034 |
| CAMDEN | WOODLYNNE BORO | $2,116,037 | $1,365,093 | 155.01% | -$5,982 | $12,241 |
| UNION | WINFIELD TWP | $1,526,912 | $1,002,427 | 152.32% | -$2,239 | $15,918 |
| UNION | LINDEN CITY | $84,115,176 | $59,855,353 | 140.53% | -5,275 | $15,807 |
| HUNTERDON | CALIFON BORO | $2,067,948 | $1,479,498 | 139.77% | $1,700 | $19,937 |
| HUNTERDON | HAMPTON BORO | $1,632,895 | $1,198,995 | 136.19% | 3,957 | $21,318 |
| SUSSEX | NEWTON TOWN | $12,137,057 | $9,060,945 | 133.95% | -4,101 | $15,315 |
| BURLINGTON | BEVERLY CITY | $2,817,744 | $2,133,890 | 132.05% | -$1,189 | $15,035 |
| BERGEN | LODI BOROUGH | $38,330,150 | $29,057,918 | 131.91% | -$6,179 | $11,889 |
| SUSSEX | HAMBURG BORO | $3,823,878 | $2,916,665 | 131.10% | $1,942 | $18,998 |
| CAMDEN | LAWNSIDE BORO | $4,063,082 | $3,123,694 | 130.07% | -$1,844 | $17,770 |
| WARREN | FRANKLIN TWP (Warren County) | $3,718,722 | $2,870,672 | 129.54% | $2,414 | $17,378 |
| BURLINGTON | SPRINGFIELD TWP (Burlington County) | $3,450,249 | $2,664,543 | 129.49% | $2,608 | $19,342 |
| SUSSEX | FREDON TWP | $4,409,628 | $3,422,018 | 128.86% | $754 | $16,417 |
| ESSEX | WEST ORANGE TOWN | $125,184,960 | $97,508,251 | 128.38% | -$3,016 | $16,660 |
| HUNTERDON | HIGH BRIDGE BORO | $5,281,889 | $4,125,458 | 128.03% | $722 | $18,530 |
| SUSSEX | HIGH POINT REGIONAL | $15,612,914 | $12,214,061 | 127.83% | $2,828 | $18,821 |
| BERGEN | BOGOTA BORO | $14,026,842 | $11,040,172 | 127.05% | -$3,153 | $13,916 |
| MORRIS | MORRIS HILLS REGIONAL | $53,092,975 | $41,800,451 | 127.02% | -$707 | $17,648 |
| MORRIS | MOUNT OLIVE TWP | $60,863,620 | $48,420,349 | 125.70% | -$1,966 | $14,969 |
| PASSAIC | BLOOMINGDALE BORO | $15,648,198 | $12,528,753 | 124.90% | 979 | $18,738 |
| BERGEN | RIDGEFIELD PARK TWP | $22,892,388 | $18,363,100 | 124.67% | -$5,706 | $13,003 |
| BERGEN | WALDWICK BORO | $26,771,760 | $21,558,824 | 124.18% | -$874 | $15,654 |
| MORRIS | WHARTON BORO | $8,465,542 | $6,820,819 | 124.11% | -$5,385 | $16,358 |
| PASSAIC | POMPTON LAKES BORO | $22,768,756 | $18,424,630 | 123.58% | -$1,981 | $16,390 |
| GLOUCESTER | NATIONAL PARK BORO | $1,859,429 | $1,505,815 | 123.48% | -$1,881 | $14,402 |
| ATLANTIC | ATLANTIC CITY | $118,426,947 | $96,063,544 | 123.28% | -$4,526 | $20,826 |
| GLOUCESTER | GATEWAY REGIONAL | $9,388,159 | $7,690,192 | 122.08% | -$2,969 | $16,770 |
| BURLINGTON | BASS RIVER TWP | $1,346,565 | $1,105,809 | 121.77% | $3,144 | $16,436 |
| HUNTERDON | BETHLEHEM TWP | $6,899,434 | $5,700,125 | 121.04% | $2,471 | $17,721 |
| SUSSEX | MONTAGUE TWP | $5,667,385 | $4,688,921 | 120.87% | $1,294 | $18,210 |
| HUNTERDON | HOLLAND TWP | $8,634,029 | $7,159,625 | 120.59% | $1,083 | $17,441 |
| CUMBERLAND | GREENWICH TWP | $781,791 | $648,807 | 120.50% | $5,667 | $18,995 |
| CAMDEN | STERLING HIGH SCHOOL DIST | $6,444,937 | $5,349,558 | 120.48% | -$4,077 | $15,856 |
| CAMDEN | PINE HILL BORO | $10,534,434 | $8,760,189 | 120.25% | -$2,818 | $15,631 |
| WARREN | KNOWLTON TWP | $2,686,000 | $2,245,495 | 119.62% | $2,924 | $16,749 |
| SOMERSET | NORTH PLAINFIELD BORO | $28,490,467 | $23,867,529 | 119.37% | -$6,021 | $15,121 |
| MONMOUTH | RED BANK REGIONAL | $20,190,016 | $16,921,577 | 119.32% | -$191 | $13,130 |
| BERGEN | NORTHVALE BORO | $8,341,911 | $7,004,299 | 119.10% | -$451 | $15,853 |
| SUSSEX | WALLKILL VALLEY REGIONAL | $9,328,312 | $7,854,253 | 118.77% | $1,894 | $17,037 |
| SUSSEX | STILLWATER TWP | $4,017,816 | $3,411,521 | 117.77% | $1,894 | $17,020 |
| WARREN | OXFORD TWP | $3,521,660 | $2,992,956 | 117.66% | -$1,601 | $13,839 |
| SUSSEX | SUSSEX-WANTAGE REGIONAL | $15,310,804 | $13,055,858 | 117.27% | $2,435 | $17,577 |
| MORRIS | ROCKAWAY TWP | $41,819,183 | $35,732,283 | 117.03% | -$110 | $17,819 |
| BERGEN | LITTLE FERRY BORO | $17,732,078 | $15,179,972 | 116.81% | -$4,414 | $12,126 |
| CAMDEN | LAUREL SPRINGS BORO | $2,650,308 | $2,270,589 | 116.72% | -$4,519 | $11,898 |
| PASSAIC | WEST MILFORD TWP | $53,042,837 | $45,525,080 | 116.51% | $1,210 | $16,441 |
| SUSSEX | FRANKFORD TWP(BRANCHVILLE BORO) | $1,234,120 | $1,059,695 | 116.46% | $3,006 | $17,911 |
| BERGEN | RIVER DELL REGIONAL | $27,786,252 | $23,891,044 | 116.30% | -$594 | $15,434 |
| MONMOUTH | ROOSEVELT BORO | $1,591,768 | $1,375,223 | 115.75% | $572 | $16,999 |
| -$937 |
The formula for Local Fair Share isn't perfect but it does give a basic picture of relative tax effort between different school districts.
These highest taxed districts are underrated by $937 per student, on average, but there are 22 which are actually overaided. The highest tax districts thus come in two overlapping clusters. There are districts that struggling to make up for inadequate state aid and districts that are simply to have higher per pupil than average spending.
The districts that have high taxes to make up aid deficits have an (unweighted) average per pupil spending of $15,179, which is at the state's average, despite how heavily they tax themselves.
The districts that accept high taxes and are also overaided, spend an average of $18,093 per student.
The districts that have high taxes to make up aid deficits have an (unweighted) average per pupil spending of $15,179, which is at the state's average, despite how heavily they tax themselves.
The districts that accept high taxes and are also overaided, spend an average of $18,093 per student.
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