Garden State Times

Senate Republican Leader Anthony M. Bucco has called for a legislative hearing to address concerns over the current school funding formula in New Jersey. In a statement, Bucco criticized the lack of transparency and the volatility surrounding how school funds are allocated. He highlighted that Governor Murphy's budget proposal plans to cut aid to 175 districts amid high inflation and learning challenges.

Bucco stated, “The lack of transparency in how school funding is allocated—and the persistent volatility surrounding the funding process—is completely unacceptable.” He expressed concern over previous aid cuts affecting 100 districts in recent years and criticized the Governor's plan to cap corrective increases at six percent while skipping the usual formula.

The senator accused the Murphy administration of creating a system where "winners and losers" are chosen arbitrarily, leading to confusion and inequities in fund distribution. "For years, the Murphy administration has picked winners and losers while students and educators have been forced to work with a chaotic system," he said.

Bucco argued for fairer funding formulas that would provide equitable resources for all students regardless of their location. He emphasized that New Jersey could support a fully-funded education system if income tax revenues were not diverted elsewhere. “The State can more than pay for a fully-funded education system,” he asserted.

To address these issues, Bucco urged Senate Education Chairman Vin Gopal or Senate Budget Chairman Paul Sarlo to conduct an immediate hearing on how aid figures were determined by the Murphy Administration and Department of Education. He stressed urgency as school districts must finalize their budgets by April.