Vito Gagliardi Hired by City of Cape May to Conduct School Funding Feasibility Study

Vito A. Gagliardi, Jr., a principal of Porzio, Bromberg & Newman, P.C., was hired by the city of Cape May regarding their possible withdrawal from the Lower Cape May Regional School District. Gagliardi’s team was assembled to research solutions to the tax burden associated with sending Cape May’s kids to the Lower Cape May Regional School District. In a 94-page report, much was uncovered about the system that has been in place for more than 20 years.

Originally, the townships would be taxed based on how many students were sent to the Lower Cape May Regional School District.  Soon after, legislation was passed changing tax allocation methods for supporting schools to be based on property values in each town.  This was done because it was incorrectly thought to be in accordance with the constitution.

This caused the average tax levies for the 2012-2013 school year to be the following:

$79,977 per student for Cape May, $7,663 per student for Lower Township, $30,493 per student for West Cape May, and $12,162 per student for Lower Cape May Regional.

This has caused Gagliardi’s team to explore different alternatives to create some equity.  “ You are sending 5 percent of the students into Lower Cape May Regional and you are paying 35 percent of the costs,” Gagliardi said while explaining his feasibility study to Cape May City Council. “Does that seem fair?  I think the answer is obvious.”

To view the Cape May Star and Wave article (second from the top), please click here.

To view an article in the Press of Atlantic City, please click here.

To view an article from the Cape May County Herald, please click here.