Republican Gubernatorial Nominee Jack Ciattarelli’s Phony Plan Would Slash Funding from Black and Brown Communities in Favor of Tax Cuts for the Wealthy and Well-Connected

NEWARK — Earlier this week, Republican gubernatorial nominee Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli held a press conference to highlight a phony plan to lower property taxes. In reality, the Assemblyman’s harmful proposal would drag New Jersey back to the funding failures of the Christie administration and strip education aid from school districts in Black and Brown communities.

What’s worse is that Assemblyman Ciattarelli would strip funding from these districts while providing tax cuts and carveouts for the wealthy and well-connected. When pressed for specifics, Assemblyman Ciattarelli offered nothing beyond an empty promise for “flatter, more equitable” funding, which is reminiscent of former governor Chris Christie’s “toxic plan” that was widely ridiculed as a “deeply irresponsible proposal for stripping New Jersey’s poorest communities of desperately needed education aid.”

Between reckless anti-science pandering that endangers the health of students and teachers to disastrous Christie-era school funding cuts, Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli continues to make it clear that he’s unfit to lead. In contrast, Governor Murphy has made historic investments in public education to expand opportunity, build a more competitive workforce, strengthen the middle class, and reduce the municipal share of property taxes.

“Assemblyman Ciattarelli doesn’t have any serious solutions for New Jersey,” said Murphy for Governor Spokesman Jerrel Harvey. “When the Assemblyman had his chance to stand up for New Jersey students and teachers, he turned his back and let things get worse under the Christie administration. Voters will back Governor Murphy’s commitment to working families, not someone who jeopardizes public education for political gain.”