Senate Budget Committee Approves Budget Plan

FY2018 Spending Plan Adds Democratic Priorities: School Funding Reform, Programs To Expand Opportunity, Services for the Most Vulnerable

TRENTON – The Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee today voted to approve a state budget for the fiscal year starting July 1 that would maintain fiscal discipline but address Democratic priorities to expand opportunity, address the needs of the most vulnerable and to promote opportunity. The budget includes increased school funding as part of the effort to reform the school aid system.

The $34.7 billion budget for Fiscal Year 2018 includes additional spending of approximately $350 million for priorities identified by Democrats, including expanded educational opportunity and a range of services for the disadvantaged. The budget bill, S-18, includes a surplus of $413 million.

The plan includes $100 million in new school aid for underfunded districts, plus $31 million in Adjustment Aid reallocated from overfunded districts. The legislation also adds $25 million to expand pre-school education and another $25 million for Extraordinary Special Education Aid. The agreement limits reductions in funding for adjustment aid to no more than 2 percent of state aid.

“This may be Governor Christie’s last budget but the plan offers us the ability to invest in New Jersey’s future, to promote economic growth and addresses the needs of the disadvantaged,” said Senator Paul Sarlo, the chairman of the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee. “This year, we have the opportunity to address Democratic priorities. We added to the governor’s proposal a series of Democratic priorities that promote opportunity and care for the most vulnerable. In past years, we have succeeded in funding many of these same priorities but the governor rejected or reduced funding for others. We have the opportunity with this budget to address these Democratic priorities and have them accepted by the governor.”

The plan includes funding for domestic violence prevention, cancer research, educational opportunity, child advocacy centers, legal services, expanding pre-K and COLA increases for direct care workers.

The budget additions also include provisions to increase participation in Paid Family Leave, to expand qualification in the SNAP program, and to prepare for the potential impact on hospitals if Medicaid is cut by Washington Republicans.

“At the same time we invest in our future we also must care for the disadvantaged and those suffering from neglect,” said Senator Sarlo. “This budget shows compassion. It’s about people, not just a balance sheet.”  

Highlights of the FY2018 Democratic Budget

Investing in Educational Opportunity – Pre-K, Elementary & Secondary Education:

·         $131 million in additional aid to underfunded districts:

o   $100 million in new funding

o   $31 million in Adjustment Aid reallocated from districts receiving more than 100 percent of their fair share of State funding under SFRA

·         $25 million for an expansion of state-funded preschool

·         $25 million for Extraordinary Special Education Aid

·         $23.8 million for Nonpublic School Security, Transportation, Nursing & Technology Aid

·         $4 million for Adult Education at Vo-Techs

·         $3 million for County Vocational Partnership Grants

Protecting Our Most Vulnerable:

·         $8 million for prisoner re-entry programs throughout the state

·         $6 million to restore Essex recidivism pilot

·         $5 million for Sheltered Workshops

·         $5 million restoration for Legal Services of NJ

·         $4 million for County Prosecutor pilot program

·         $850,000 for Court Appointed Special Advocates for children

·         $500,000 to restore Housing First pilot program to aid the homeless

·         $145,000 for Boys & Girls Clubs

·         Language restoring “Heat & Eat” and Food Stamp benefits.

Healthcare:

·         $5.25 million for Nursing Homes/SCNFs/Assisted Living

·         $3 million to provide security at each of the 3 NJ Trauma Centers

·         $2 million for Cancer Research

·         $2 million to Rutgers Cancer Institute for lung and colorectal cancer screening programs and tobacco treatment programs

·         $1 million for expansion of Rutgers Cancer Institute of NJ in Newark

·         $2 million for Federally Qualified Health Centers

Women’s Services

·         $7.5 million for Family Planning Services (separate legislation)

·         $2.8 million for NJ Coalition Against Sexual Assault

·         $2.2 million for Domestic Violence and Rape Prevention

·         $250K for Latino Action Network Hispanic Women’s Resource Centers

·         $125K for Project S.A.R.A.H.

Investing in Higher Education:

·         $10 million for NJIT Engineering Makerspace

·         $5 million in additional support for low-income college students (Educational Opportunity Fund)

·         $5 million for Rutgers Camden School of Business

·         $2 million to Rutgers Cancer Institute for lung and colorectal cancer screening programs and tobacco treatment programs

·         $1 million for expansion of Rutgers Cancer Institute of NJ in Newark

Miscellaneous Priorities:

·         $20 million to provide COLA to DDD, DCF, and DVRS community providers

·         $7 million to increase Medicaid reimbursement rate for DCF care managers

·         $3.6 million to restore cut to Liberty Science Center

·         $3 million for Paid Family Leave outreach and claims processing

·         $1.7 million to support the Battleship New Jersey

·         $1.7 for NJ PAC capital and maintenance

·         $1.2 million to rectify historic underfunding of DEP Bureau of Marine Fisheries

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