Assemblyman Alex Sauickie announced on Mar. 18 new legislation that would allocate up to $50 million in state funds to help New Jersey school districts manage increasing health insurance expenses after years of significant property tax hikes.
The proposed bill, A4750, targets school districts that have raised property taxes by more than 9.9% over the past two years, reflecting what Sauickie described as unsustainable fiscal pressure on local communities. The measure comes as some municipalities have experienced property tax increases as high as 33% in a single year.
“Families across New Jersey are being squeezed from every direction,” Sauickie said. “Over the past several years, the state’s school funding formula has forced many districts to raise property taxes just to keep their schools operating. Now those same districts are being hit with health insurance cost increases of up to 35%, and local taxpayers simply cannot absorb another round of these massive hikes.” He added, “For years, Trenton’s policies have shifted responsibility away from the state and onto local communities. When districts are forced to raise taxes dramatically just to keep the lights on, and then face enormous increases in health insurance costs, the state cannot simply look the other way. It is time for the state to step in and provide support.”
Sauickie compared the proposed funding with recent increases elsewhere: “The total cost of this legislation is less than the $60 million in additional state aid provided to the Newark City School District this year, following three previous years in which Newark received roughly $100 million more annually,” he said. “Those increases were funded by the same New Jersey parents whose own local school districts are now once again struggling to close budget gaps caused by state policy decisions.” He emphasized that employee health benefits remain one of the fastest-growing expenses for district budgets.
“Parents and homeowners have already been pushed to the limit,” Sauickie said. “Property taxpayers should not be expected to absorb another wave of massive increases simply because of systemic policy failures in Trenton. This legislation is about providing real relief to districts and the families who support them.” He also noted that while this bill offers immediate assistance, it underscores a broader need for reform: “New Jersey’s taxpayers deserve a system that is fair, predictable, and sustainable,” Sauickie said. “Until we fix the underlying problems, we must at least ensure that communities already pushed to the brink receive the support they need.”
John DiMaio has played a significant role in New Jersey politics as reported by the official legislative roster. DiMaio represents District 23—which includes Hackettstown—and served as mayor there from 1991 through 1999 according to the official legislative roster. His experience includes serving on Warren County’s Board of Freeholders between 2000 and 2009 according to his legislative profile, holding roles such as Appropriations Officer (2012–2017) and Budget Officer (2018–2019) as detailed by official records. DiMaio joined New Jersey’s General Assembly in 2009 and became Minority Leader starting in 2022 according to official sources.
