CIATTARELLI SAYS REVITALIZATION OF JERSEY CITY DEMONSTRATES NEED FOR SCHOOL FUNDING REFORM

WASHINGTON – (RealEstateRama) — Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli issued a statement today on how the renaissance of Jersey City is positive proof of the need for a better way to fund New Jersey schools that is fair to all taxpayers:

“Every now and then Jersey City’s mayor will boast of the renaissance in Jersey City, which is indeed great news. Case in point is a recent e-newsletter, in which the mayor said:

‘Without increasing taxes, we have been able to hire 150 additional police officers, increase the city’s open space by 10%, implement the state’s first paid sick leave policy, increase minimum wage for all city employees, and construct housing for homeless veterans. We have also been able to lead the state in the number of construction starts, and have created more jobs than any other large city in New Jersey.’

“What the mayor never boasts, despite Jersey City’s economic fortunes, is weaning his school district off a state subsidy paid for by the taxpayers of New Jersey.

“Of Jersey City’s annual $665 million school budget, $420 million or 63 percent is paid for by citizens around the state – citizens who pay exorbitantly high property taxes because they’re subsidizing Jersey City’s school system. After all subsidies, Jersey City pays less than 20 cents on the dollar for its schools.

“The mayor’s boasts, which only add insult to injury to taxpayers across the state, call attention to just how terribly flawed and blatantly unfair the current distribution of state school aid is. And it is exactly the reason we desperately need school funding reforms that are fair to taxpayers across the state.”