Thursday, June 22, 2017

Downey and Houghtaling Push for Improvements, Updates on School Funding


June 22nd, 2017

Long Branch - After days of closed door negotiations between Democratic leadership and Governor Christie, still no updated details have emerged on the progress of the school funding proposal put forward by Senator Sweeney and Speaker Prieto. Assembly members Eric Houghtaling and Joann Downey addressed their frustration and highlighted their efforts to push through needed improvements:

“We have been in constant communication with Democratic legislative leadership urging them to address the concerning funding shortfalls in the original Prieto-Sweeney proposal. Too many of our districts are facing funding losses and the massive challenge of rewriting budgets for this coming year with fewer funds than they had anticipated. The upheaval that this proposal will cause for a number of our schools cannot be allowed to just slip by.

Every student, no matter what school they attend, should know they’re getting a fair share, and we are still a long way away from that. We will continue to push Democratic legislative leadership until this proposal is improved.

As assembly members, we have consistently focused on the need to address New Jersey’s school funding crisis and we are proud to see that after years of ignoring the issue, Trenton is finally starting a conversation. We remain committed to passing true, long-term school funding legislation that fully funds all our schools and addresses the issues at the foundation of the crisis. Our children have been caught in a political battle for too long and we need to put forward legislation that address the issue once and for all.”

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