The final school funding numbers could change as the Legislature continues to examine Murphy’s spending plan, the last one of his administration. The Assembly Budget Committee is scheduled to hold hearings with the state Department of Education on Monday. The Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee will hold a similar hearing May 13.

During his budget speech in February, Murphy said any aid increases would be limited to 6%, while aid cuts would be capped at 3% to reduce volatility in budget planning for the districts.

Michael Hayes, associate professor of public policy at Rutgers University–Camden, said Murphy made a smart political move by capping funding increases and decreases. This approach limits how much money growing districts can get, while softening the blow for the districts facing losses.

“You can sort of soften the damage by not giving such a big increase to people who, in theory, because the formula would suggest they should receive more, they’re not going to receive that,” he said.

But Hayes said the state’s school funding formula has not always been fully funded and cautions that schools are facing structural deficits. Some school districts will be raising their property tax levies beyond the 2% cap thanks to a recent law granting a one-time pass.

Plainfield’s board of education wants to raise local school property taxes by 36%, according to NJ.com. The Middletown school board recently approved raising its tax levy to 10.1%, according to Patch.

Hayes questioned the sustainability of the current formula.

“You’re kind of seeing more responsibility falling on local school districts to fund their budgets through their property tax primarily,” he said, noting that Garden State residents pay among the highest property taxes in the country. “I think for the next administration … this is going to be a major challenge for them.”

School districts in North Jersey bear the most proposed aid cuts

North Jersey bears the brunt of the proposed cuts in K-12 state aid. A WHYY News analysis of numbers provided by the New Jersey Department of Education shows 65 school districts in that region will see some form of a reduction in their aid compared to last year.

Turkeys, rejoice?

New Jersey’s fall turkey hunt usually starts about a month before the Thanksgiving holiday. But not this year.

State regulators last week announced Fish & Wildlife has canceled the fall 2025 statewide wild turkey hunting season.

The closure, approved by the state’s Fish and Game Council on March 11, takes effect immediately, officials said in the April 8 announcement.

Though there are more turkeys in New Jersey now than there were decades ago, officials said they voted to cancel the hunt until the animal’s population further stabilizes.

New Jersey’s wild turkey population was once as low as 6,200 birds in the mid-1980s, according to state data.

Each year between 2013 and 2020, the total was up to around 23,000. But the state’s 2025 population estimate is 20,000 turkeys statewide, Larry Hajna, a Department of Environmental Protection spokesperson, told NJ Advance Media.

“This is the first time the Fish and Game Council has voted to close the fall either-sex season (hunt),” Hajna said Friday. “This season closure is in effect until the population stabilizes and can support the season.”

During the state’s spring turkey hunt last year a total of 2,321 turkeys were killed, mostly in South Jersey and by hunters here and from over 30 other states.

Most of those turkeys were harvested by shotgun with compound bows and crossbows also used by hunters for just over 100 birds.

“Wild turkey harvest trends have continuously declined since the early 2000s and are similar to population estimates statewide,” the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection said in a summary of the latest decision Tuesday.

The DEP said turkeys face several threats, including habitat loss and predation.

Although the department clarified that hunting was not the sole cause for the turkey population decline, it said the current populace of birds “cannot support a hunting season that includes hen harvest.”

The state believes closing the season will work to increase hen survival and reproduction.

In a brief history on wild turkeys, New Jersey underscored that by the mid-1800s turkeys were nearly wiped out as the state’s habitat changed and because they were killed for food.

Garden State biologists, along with the NJ Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation, reintroduced turkeys here in 1977 starting with 22 birds.

Four years later, the population rebounded enough to support a spring hunting season and by 1997 a limited fall season kickstarted too.

Trends have evolved though.

The spring turkey hunt was not affected by the vote this past March to call off fall hunting.

However, state Fish and Game Council data showed declines in the spring harvest as well.

Between 2001 and 2010, on average more than 3,000 turkeys were hunted and killed in the spring (peaking at 3,779 in 2002). Yet, in recent years the spring hunt has yielded closer to between 2,300 and 2,500 birds.

The Fish and Game Council’s nine members considered various options before calling off the state’s fall turkey hunt.

Leaving the season fully open has the potential to “negatively affect future populations,” according to a presentation from the March 11 meeting.

A partial closure of the fall season could have increased a portion of the turkey population. However, the council added, it could have made for uneven and complicated regulations with adverse effects for bird populations in others parts of the state.

Closing just the hen harvest was also considered, as that would make more female birds available to breed. However, the state said that could also needlessly remove male turkey populations for future hunts.

Closing the full season was thought of as the best option. Council members — made up of both hunters and farmers — said the only con by choosing that path was simply the loss of a hunting season.

The response online to New Jersey nixing a fall turkey hunt appears to be even-keeled so far.

“Loss of habitat and changes in farming practices might also play a role,” one Facebook user said in response to a State Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs’ post — while speculating on the cancelation. “I suppose we have to wait and see the results of the monitoring programs in New Jersey and surrounding states.”

In response to losing the fall hunt, another user on a Pennsylvania hunting forum, noted that back in the 1970’s “turkeys were not as numerous as today.”

“If you heard a gobble over on the next ridge, there was a good chance he would come looking, because hens were scarce.”

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Steven Rodas may be reached at srodas@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Bluesky at @stevenrodas.bsky.social.

A strong solar storm headed to Earth could produce dazzling displays of color over the night sky in states across the Northeast, potentially reaching as far south as New Jersey.

The sun emitted a burst of highly energetic particles on Sunday, called coronal mass ejections, that should reach Earth by tonight, thus triggering colorful geomagnetic storms across the northern U.S. states. NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center issued a storm watch for April 16, but said in a post on X on Tuesday they are monitoring the magnetic energy that could bump the storm to a higher level.

The storm, caused by a coronal mass ejection, or eruption of solar material, is developing tonight, with chances to view the dancing glow of the northern lights tonight, April 15, and on Wednesday, April 16. If it’s anything like last year’s majestical display in New Jersey, it might be worth heading outside for a potential peek.

Here’s what we know about the timing and potential to see it from New Jersey, as well as how to view it from your phone:

What are the northern lights? What is the aurora borealis?

The northern lights, or aurora borealis, are the result of electrically charged particles from the Sun and gases in Earth’s outer atmosphere known for creating ribbons of colorful light in the night sky, often shades of green, red or purple.

Forecasters say electromagnetic activity is increasing as the sun continues to reach the height of its 11-year solar cycle, which is 2025, according to NASA. While we see the famous display as a striking sight, these solar eruptions bring potential impacts to power grids, satellite signals, radio communications, navigation and GPS, depending on their strength according to NOAA.

Aurora borealis forecast: When can I see the northern lights?

A geomagnetic storm watch for a “moderate storm” has been issued for April 16 by the Space Weather Prediction Center, part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. While still being monitored, the storm may be best viewed tonight, Tuesday, April 15, and Wednesday, April 16.

Predicting the timing is difficult since experts have to monitor the strength and orientation of the magnetic energy, but the best time is after sunset and before sunrise.

Will NJ see the northern lights? See the list of states

The northern lights are expected to glow in the night sky over portions of the Northeastern states in areas as far south as Pennsylvania and New York. It also has the potential to reach into New Jersey; Accuweather said Monday if the geomagnetic storms are stronger than expected, “the aurora could be visible even further south.”

As of now, here are the best states to view the storm in the Northeast region:

• Pennsylvania
• New York
• New Hampshire
• Vermont
• Maine

Other states that may be able to view the storm are: North Dakota; Montana; Minnesota; Washington; Michigan; Wisconsin; Oregon; Idaho; Wyoming; Iowa; Nebraska; and Illinois.

How can I see the northern lights? Here’s some tips

Northern lights forecasts can be found on NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center website, which provides short- and three-day forecasts for possible activity.

The best way to capture the northern lights is through your cell phone, even when they aren’t visible to the naked eye. Ensure your cellphone or camera is on long-exposure mode, point to the sky with a steady hand and snap the photo.

Also consider where you are; dark areas away from city lights are best, such as a local park. And be sure to check your local forecast; if there are clouds in the sky, it may just disrupt the entire show.

Lori Comstock is a New Jersey-based journalist with the Mid-Atlantic Connect Team.