| TRENTON, N.J. – Assemblymen Greg McGuckin and Paul Kanitra slammed legislative Democrats for funneling money to special projects in their districts instead of funding schools facing dire budget gaps.
Senate and Assembly sponsors of the 490 last-minute state budget add-ons were released this week. Ninety-five percent are sponsored by Democrats and largely fund projects to benefit their constituents. The only resolution sponsored by an Assembly Republican maintains school transportation for students in Jackson, which lacks pedestrian-friendly infrastructure and lost over $20 million in aid.
“The only budget resolution we sponsored would have gone to schools. It wasn’t accepted, but somehow there is money for waterparks, tennis, yoga, and illegal immigrants? The budget resolutions are a reflection of the Democrats’ self-serving priorities,” McGuckin (R-Ocean) said.
Democrats added half a million to the budget to pay for a water park in East Brunswick, $100,000 for tennis in Asbury Park, $100,000 for a yoga studio in Red Bank, and $1.5 million to provide legal services to undocumented minors facing deportation. There is also $3 million for a West New York parking lot and $1.5 million for Trenton Thunder Ballpark improvements.
“The Democrats want to buy support and unfortunately our kids are the ones paying the price. New Jersey should be putting its schoolchildren ahead of parking lots, ball parks and special interest groups,” Kanitra (R-Ocean) said.
According to Toms River Regional Schools, funding has been cut by more than $137 million since a 2018 law changed the way state aid was distributed beginning seven years ago. Brick schools are down by about $17 million.
“Hundreds of millions of dollars have been taken from children in Toms River and Brick to pay for projects that are so narrowly targeted few will ever see a return on investment,” McGuckin added.
The legislative add-ons increased state spending $728 million over the governor’s proposal, pushing the final budget to a record $56.6 billion. Based on revenue forecasts, there is a $2.1 billion structural deficit in this year’s budget that can only be closed through the state’s dwindling surplus.
“The Democrats’ budget resolutions are promises to political friends that push us further to the left and into debt. It is fiscally irresponsible and morally reprehensible,” Kanitra said.
Both Toms River and Brick schools are under their adequacy budget – the amount necessary to provide a thorough and efficient education. Toms River schools, even with the state-imposed 9.9% tax increase, remains nearly $80 million under adequacy and Brick is $27 million under.
“Children in our district are suffering because schools have had to cut programs, increase class sizes, fire teachers and more. While lawmakers in other districts will be at grips-and-grins for their pet projects, our kids will be grappling with unacceptable conditions at their public schools,” McGuckin said. “There was no justification for the spending, no relationship disclosures, and no impact studies. It’s just frivolous waste that takes away from our children’s critical education needs.”
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