Funding for New High School & State Police Patrols Will Help Boost Safety & Morale
Following a meeting with the Governor last week, Assemblyman Reed Gusciora (D-Mercer/Hunterdon) expressed his satisfaction over the administration’s decision to fund a new Trenton Central High School while assigning State Police patrols to the City of Trenton.
On the news that the Schools Development Authority (SDA) has included Trenton Central High School on its new list of school construction projects for 2012, funding that he and his 15th legislative district colleagues have pushed intensively for, Gusciora noted:
“Given the critical state of disrepair at the high school, this is certainly welcome news. The current conditions at the school go beyond just being outdated and now pose serious health and safety risks, including poor air quality, leaking roofs, water-soaked walls, and damp carpeting.
“The students attending Central High when this project was first slated for funding may be long gone now, but for those currently enduring the deteriorating conditions, this is certainly good news.
“Poor learning conditions affect both morale and student achievement. My hope is that the SDA has resolved the bureaucratic issues that have held this project up so that we can move forward swiftly to create a new learning environment that is safe, sophisticated and a Dest of pride.” said Gusciora.
Gusciora had expressed concern on a number of occasions that the City of Trenton had been repeatedly passed over for funding after being slated for a new high school in 2004. During his meeting last week with the Governor, he details his concerns about the inadequate state of Central High, as well as the safety issues that have plagued the city due to budget-dictated cuts in the police force.
“I’m pleased that the Governor has heeded our concerns about safety in the capital city,” added Gusciora. “The addition of a state police presence brings a measure of comfort and safety to residents who have been besieged by escalating violence. It’s assuring to know that our concerns have not fallen on deaf ears.”