Pappas skewers Zwicker on school funding

School funding formulas are now an issue in the 16th district State Senate race, where Republican Michael Pappas slammed Democratic incumbent Andrew Zwicker (D-South Brunswick) for not supporting a plan to restore full funding for all districts across the state in Gov. Phil Murphy’s budget.

Pappas, a former congressman, said he supports an amendment sponsored by Senate Republican Budget Officer Declan O’Scanlon (R-Shrewsbury) to eliminate school funding cuts.

“Zwicker had the chance to vote for legislation that would eliminate any cuts in state education aid in this year’s budget and ensure our schools are fully funded,” said Pappas.  He didn’t even bother to cast a vote.”

O’Scanlon’s proposal was to spend roughly $155 million out of the state’s $10 billion to propose tax relief to every local school district in New Jersey.

“Once again, Andrew Zwicker did not stand up for the people of central New Jersey,” Pappas said.

A bill sponsored by Zwicker and State Sen. Vin Gopal (D-Long Branch) restored $102 million as part of an accord with Gov. Phil Murphy.

“While I intend to vote for this bill, it’s only a step in the right direction,” O’Scanlon stated on the Senate floor. “It is policy malfeasance that we haven’t solved the school funding issues that have existed for years now for these districts.”