NJEA’s officers, President Steve Beatty, Vice President Petal Robertson and Secretary-Treasurer Tina Dare, issued this statement following Gov. Mikie Sherrill’s inaugural budget address earlier this afternoon:
“Gov. Sherrill’s first budget shows a firm commitment to public education. The record level of state aid for school districts that she included will help ensure that New Jersey’s students have the resources and support they need to thrive. That aid also helps keep her affordability promise by reducing property tax pressure at the local level.
“As she acknowledged, there is still work to do to ensure that our school funding formula fully and fairly meets the needs of every community and every student, but funding the current formula is a necessary first step toward making those improvements. We look forward to working with the Sherrill administration and legislative leaders to strengthen and secure our school funding formula.
“We also commend her commitment to students through increased funding for pre-K education, as well as additional funds to provide academic support for students who need it. Her investments in student mental health and online safety will also pay dividends. New Jersey students and their families will benefit from these smart budget priorities.
“By fully funding the state’s pension obligation, she is also delivering on her affordability promise. Hundreds of thousands of public employees – including nearly 200,000 NJEA members – are counting on the state to keep up its end of the pension bargain so they can afford to retire with dignity. While much more is needed to restore fairness to our pension systems, the full funding included in this budget is essential and demonstrates a genuine commitment to fiscal responsibility.
New Jersey’s county colleges are slated for flat funding. We appreciate that this budget does not propose a cut, as has been the case in recent budget proposals. However, the state has long fallen short of its funding obligations to those colleges, resulting in higher costs and fewer program offerings for students and this budget does not address that shortfall. We look forward to discussing the importance of increased support for these critical education institutions with the Sherrill administration and legislative leaders. Families across New Jersey rely on county colleges as places to receive valuable career training and as a more affordable way to begin a four-year degree. Providing even modest but consistent annual budget increases would set the state on a path toward meeting its responsibilities while helping to build the skilled workforce needed to support a growing economy.
“We know that the cost of health insurance remains a daily concern for millions of New Jersey families. While not directly addressed in today presentation, it’s an issue that we need to solve together. We believe there are solutions that will control costs without burdening families or limiting access to health care. It’s another area where we are eager to partner with Gov. Sherrill and legislative leaders to innovate.”