Republicans push for changes in school funding practices

Republicans are continuing their push to increase funding for school districts they say are underfunded by the state formula, with Assemblyman Gregory McGuckin (R-Toms River) criticizing Democrats for allowing tax breaks while capping increases in school district funding. 

The legislation granted some $300 million in tax subsidies for the Prudential Center, which is operated by Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment and holds New Jersey Devils games. The tax subsidies cleared the legislature with bipartisan support. Former Gov. Phil Murphy signed the legislation on his last day in office, hours before Gov. Mikie Sherrill took office.

“HBSE doesn’t need the break,” McGuckin said. “You know who does need a break? The taxpayers in Republican districts who have been getting screwed by the school funding formula, and their children who are getting screwed by bigger class sizes and program cuts.”

Supporters of the tax breaks said the money will help the Prudential Center, a major economic driver for the region, perform repairs and upgrades.

Regardless, McGuckin said legislators should remove the 6% cap on funding increases for any given school district.

“Democrats can give $300 million in tax breaks to billionaire sports team owners, but in a $60 billion budget, can’t find another $332 million to give every district what they were entitled to under S2 if it wasn’t for the caps,” McGuckin said. “The children in some parts of the state are not as important as those in others. What a joke.”

Another pair of Republican legislators announced legislation on Thursday that would give additional aid to school districts in municipalities affected by Highlands and Pinelands development restrictions.

The Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act and the Pinelands Protection Act protect large portions of land, and Assemblyman Alex Sauickie (R-Jackson) and Assemblywoman Aura Dunn (R-Mendham Boro) say the policies limit how much certain towns can increase their tax bases and generate revenue for schools. Assemblywoman Marisa Sweeney (D-Morristown) co-sponsored the bill.

“These communities are doing the right thing, not just for themselves, but for the entire state, by preserving open space and protecting critical water resources,” Dunn said. “Unfortunately, our school funding system has failed to account for the economic impact of these environmental burdens that limit a town’s ability to expand their tax base in the same way that urban districts are limited by municipal burdens.”