Schools

Hillsdale Mayor Reaffirms Opposition to Pascack Valley School Split

The authors of a study commissioned by Woodcliff Lake said splitting the regional school district would save their residents money, but cost Hillsdale and River Vale residents.

Hillsdale Mayor Max Arnowitz said Tuesday that the borough and River Vale "have commited 100 percent to fight" a proposed splitting of the Pascack Valley Regional High School District.

Arnowitz's comments followed a Woodcliff Lake Council meeting Monday at which a retired CPA recommended Woodcliff Lake attempt to withdraw from the regional district, NorthJersey.com reported.

James Kirtland, the CPA who helped prepare a study for Woodcliff Lake examining the possible effects of their proposed withdrawal from the district, said there would be "substantial overall financial and educational benefits" if Woodcliff Lake and Montvale pursued a separate regional district or had a sending-receiving relationship without Hillsdale and River Vale, according to the article.

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Arnowitz and River Vale Mayor Joseph Blundo have both said they oppose the plan because it would be both difficult to maintain the current level of education and likely expensive for residents of their towns.

"Splitting up that high school will destroy our kids' education and hurt property values," Arnowitz said Tuesday.

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According to a similar study commissioned by Hillsdale and River Vale, taxes for the average homeowner in both towns would increase by more than $500, while average homeowners in Woodcliff Lake and Montvale would see decreases of less than $20.

Currently, Woodcliff Lake and Montvale pay higher rates per student in the regional district than Hillsdale and River Vale because the state-mandated formula for regional district funding is based on the assessed values of each town. The two Pascack Hills High towns have more large commercial properties than the two Pascack Valley High towns, causing at least a portion of that disparity.

The Woodcliff Lake study also reported there would be "have very little educational program impact" caused by the split.

Arnowitz said he believed "Woodcliff Lake is wrong in their assumptions" that the quality of education could remain where it is now if the district were split up. According to the Hillsdale-River Vale study, many of the schools' programs are only financially viable because staff are shared between the two.

Officials are still waiting for the Executive County Superintendent to complete a review of the opposing studies and make a recommendation to the state Department of Education.

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