NEW JERSEY — Gov. Phil Murphy has taken a step that could ultimately lead to the elimination of nearly 300 school districts (see list below).

Murphy last week set aside $10 million for New Jersey communities to help promote shared services. About $2 million of that was earmarked to study K-12 consolidation, something that Senate President Sweeney has championed as part of his Path to Progress.

Though Murphy has never come out and expressly endorsed school consolidation, the money could bring a much-sought-after spark to an effort started by Sweeney, who has been pitching a 32-recommendation "Path to Progress" plan. Sweeney and 26 analysts and so-called experts helped draw up the plan last year.

The plan includes merging school districts — nearly 300 of them — to help save the state money. "The goal is to eliminate the administration, put a principal in the school, get rid of the school district, leave a principal, let the regional high school become a K-12 district," Sweeney said. "You go from 600 districts to 320."

Those recommendations included in the "Path to Progress" include: Merge all K-4, K-5, K-6, K-8, and K-9 school districts into K-12 regional districts to improve the quality of education and promote efficiency.

Install high-occupancy toll lanes (or HOT lane) on I-80, I-295, I-287, among others.

Allow the establishment of two countywide school district pilot programs.

Explore the viability of transferring major assets such as the New Jersey Turnpike system to the state pension system to lower the unfunded liability and generate new revenue streams for the pension system.

Create a Property Tax Assessment Study Commission to study the state's tax assessment practices and make recommendations for countywide or regional tax assessment to ensure consistency and efficiency. Murphy said money will enhance the state's ability to "guide and encourage our state's diverse communities that are interested in pursuing consolidation and shared services."

"As we lead our state towards the stronger and fairer economy that we hope to build together, it is our administration's responsibility to provide these communities a platform from which to pursue efficient growth, achieve smart government and provide relief to local taxpayers," he said.

Sweeney said he has long fought for shared services as an effective means of making government more efficient and providing taxpayer savings.

"K-12 regionalization, countywide school district pilots and shared services programs are a cornerstone of our Path to Progress plan to promote efficiency and lower property taxes," said Sweeney. Sweeney said reducing New Jersey's highest-in-the-nation property taxes needs to be a top priority to improve economic competitiveness, attract jobs and make the state affordable.

