This will restore integrity to the funding process.

News that a state law will be changed to guarantee money earmarked for South Jersey arts goes to South Jersey arts groups was hailed as a victory in the area.

Not so fast. What, exactly, did South Jersey win?

Current law requires the New Jersey State Council on the Arts to spend 25 percent of its money in South Jersey. The council accomplished that goal, in part, by giving money to North Jersey groups to make appearances here. Over the past two years, almost a half million dollars were given to North Jersey groups to provide services to the South.

More than $2.1 million of South Jersey's money has been given to North Jersey groups and statewide organizations over the past four years.

That will come to an end when the new state budget is passed, according to the office of Assembly Speaker Jack Collins, R-Salem. The new budget law will require money be given to the events "sponsored by South Jersey arts organizations."

But at last Friday's South Jersey Summit on Arts funding, some lawmakers noted that the law's language may not be strong enough. They argued that any new law be clear in specifying that the funds must go to South Jersey arts groups - not just for arts events in South Jersey.

We agree.

That would mean groups such as the Ritz Theatre and the Mainstage Center for the Arts have a better shot at funding.

And that, of course, is how it was supposed to be from the outset.

By all means, there's reason to celebrate the way arts funds will be handed out in the future. And all of the state lawmakers, arts patrons and activists who sought fair funding should be proud of themselves. They fought the good fight, and won fair funding in the future.

But why did South Jersey have to fight for this money at all? Why were hearings, studies, laws, etc., necessary to compel a change?

This was South Jersey's money all along, paid into state coffers by South Jersey taxpayers and then handed over to arts groups outside of South Jersey.

That's patently unfair, and no South Jersey resident should feel good about having to pass a new law just to make the Council on the Arts do the right thing.

What would make us all feel better, though, in addition to the new law, would be a check for an extra $2.1 million made out to South Jersey arts groups. That money would replace the $2.1 million given to North Jersey or statewide groups that should have gone to local arts organizations.

South Jersey arts groups and patrons have been getting shortchanged for years. Now it appears the shortchanging will end in future budgets.

While that's good, it's not good enough.

Give South Jersey taxpayers their money back.