Chris Christie won Ocean County by 70,477 votes in 2009, Save Jerseyans, powering his modest 86,714 vote state-wide margin of victory over then-Governor Jon Corzine. If you add in Monmouth’s own giant margin for the Christie-Guadagno ticket? The ex-AG couldn’t have won without both counties strongly in his columns.
Phil Murphy wants to avoid a repeat of the last Democrat governor’s fate in 2021.
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On Thursday, with mere days left to go before the voting ends, Governor Murphy’s office told the Toms River Regional School district that it’s application for “stabilization aid” had been approved. Toms River is getting an extra $7.6 million in aid.
“Toms River Regional Schools is relieved and extremely grateful for Governor Murphy’s announcement today that our requested $7.6 million in stabilization aid will be provided,” said Superintendent Stephen Genco in a statement. “On behalf of our students and staff, I thank our board members and community supporters who spent time and effort behind the scenes to fight for our district and for Toms River; our team here who thoroughly and successfully developed our comprehensive application for stabilization aid; and of course Governor Murphy, who has heard our collective voice and who has responded. This is indeed wonderful and welcome news.”
Did he really hear your district’s collective voice, Stephen? He certainly didn’t listen to the parents at school board meetings in Toms River and elsewhere who demanded an end to stupid COVID-19 regulations.
Murphy is trying to prevent a red wave in red, vote-rich Jersey Shore counties by buying up those votes. I don’t think he plans on winning either (certainly not Ocean). He wants to throw cold water on parental rage at his insane policies including years of ridiculous funding schemes, CRT in classrooms, schools teaching inappropriately young children about sex, and criminalizing police who come upon minors abusing drugs and alcohol.
Keep in mind, it was on Murphy’s watch that Toms River lost $8.1 million in state aid last spring under the Democrats’ own school funding formula; 40 district jobs were cut for the current 2021-2022 school year. He’s merely giving back some – not all – of what he took away.
Toms River isn’t alone as I hinted in the article’s title. Nearby Brick is getting $7.5 million. Freehold Regional, Upper Freehold Regional, Jackson and Plumsted will split another $11.5 million.
Republican leaders should be out there explaining to rightfully anxious and angry parents – concerned with the state of public education in 2021 – exactly what Murphy is doing here. Unsurprisingly, the GOP legislators aren’t any better than the school officials in celebrating whatever scraps Murphy is willing to return to them.
“This is a huge relief for our schools that faced insurmountable budget gaps following a year of unprecedented challenges,” Assemblyman Ron Dancer (R-Ocean County) said in a press release. “When the same districts face cuts year after year, it is evident that our schoolchildren deserve a more sensible, equitable and reliable funding solution that will support their needs. Better investments in our schools will benefit educators, parents, taxpayers, and most importantly, children.”
So we’re thanking a tyrant for returning money that he had no right to redistribute in the first place?
Dancer (who represents Upper Freeholder, Jackson and Plumsted) applauded Murphy back in September for permitting the grant applications.
He should be out there ginning up support for Jack Ciattarelli who would without question be a better steward of LD12’s tax dollars than the current occupant of the governor’s office. Dancer’s seat is “safe.” He doesn’t need to applaud Murphy. So why is he?
If you want to know why the system is so broken, folks, here’s a great example in the 11th hour of the gubernatorial election.
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