FACT CHECK: Democrats Scheme to Leave New Jersey’s Special Needs Children in the Lurch

Sweeney and Prieto’s $171 million school funding concord unveiled earlier this week represents an attempt at achieving peace between warring Democrat political factions, Save Jerseyans.

Sweeney’s faction is challenging Prieto for the speakership. The NJEA is throwing mud at Sweeney. Somehow, the Senate President and Speaker hope, agreement will breed peace heading into the November election cycle.

Of course, the plan accomplishes precious little towards helping New Jersey’s children.

The formula on the table is still incredibly inequitable and disproportionately favors Democrat communities where public education is already heavily subsidized by suburban taxpayers. They’re vote buying…

…and kids can’t vote!

Start by looking at the numbers. Middle Class communities in Sweeney’s own home county, like Washington Township and Pitman Borough, will LOSE state aid if the Democrats get their way. Two towns in Sweeney’s own backyard (Salem City and Woodstown) are also significant losers.

Newark? Where the public school system is already heavily subsidized by suburban taxpayers? Another $2.4 million per year would be allotted. Camden City, where we’re already spending close to $30k per K-12 student on an annual basis, would also see an aid spike.

Steve Sweeney

There’s also NO acknowledgment of the need to account for PILOT agreements (which allow certain districts to offer ‘payment in lieu of taxes’ and game the system with subsidies from the state).

But even more disturbing than all of the above: The children who need the funding the most (special needs kids) are seemingly left in the lurch.

Fully funding New Jersey special education (the price tag for which would come in around $125 million according to the numbers crunchers) is significantly cheaper than the Democrats’ $171 million proposed spending increase.

There was a better path forward. For all of his faults, Chris Christie’s exceedingly logical ‘fair school funding’ proposal would’ve set a fixed, uniform dollar amount for ALL New Jersey K-12 students (since some kids aren’t worth more than others, right?). The Governor’s plan would’ve nevertheless made an exception for special needs students.

Not so with this Democrat proposal, and at least a handful of legislators are willing to say it out-loud.

“I have said repeatedly that any school funding reform proposal must fully cover the cost of extraordinary special education for New Jersey’s most vulnerable students,” said state Senator Joe Pennacchio of Morris County. “Those children deserve our support wherever they live in New Jersey. The Sweeney/Prieto plan, however, ignores special education completely. I’m disappointed in what they proposed, it’s just not right. Governor Christie should veto this plan the second it hits his desk.”

“Unlike our plan, which would replace the flawed SFRA, Democrats are now doubling-down on the failed formula,” added Pennachcio. “Adding more money into a broken formula is a really bad idea. I guess we’ve learned that really bad ideas are what we should expect from New Jersey Democrats.”

This Sweeney-Prieto “plan” is an easy one to skewer if Republicans take to the Election 2017 trail and demonstrate HALF of Sen. Pennacchio’s or Jennifer Beck’s willingness to call out the Democrats and their schemes for what they are… a grave disservice to an entire generation of young New Jerseyans.

The larger issue is also worth asserting…

HOW can we spend THIS much money on a school system that can’t even address the basic needs of our children and pretend that the public school monopoly is working?

____

Matt Rooney
About Matt Rooney 8403 Articles
MATT ROONEY is SaveJersey.com's founder and editor-in-chief, a practicing New Jersey attorney, and the host of 'The Matt Rooney Show' on 1210 WPHT every Sunday evening from 7-10PM EST.