(TRENTON) – Assembly Budget Chairman Vincent Prieto (D-Hudson/Bergen) issued the following statement Monday concerning cuts in direct school aid under Gov. Christie’s proposed budget following the Assembly Budget Hearing:
“We entrust school districts with the education of our children, yet under the current administration, the resources they are getting to meet this responsibility keeps shrinking.
“The increase in school aid claimed by the governor is nothing more than clever smoke-screening. Truth is, the amount of direct aid going to schools under his proposed budget is still much less than what was allocated two years ago. This means less money for districts to hire more teachers, purchase classroom supplies and reduce classroom sizes – all crucial components to student success.
“Short-changing school districts, while vigorously defending tax breaks for millionaires makes no sense. Surely even a fifth-grader can recognize the wrong in this scenario. Selling out the education of New Jersey students to appease a national Republican audience and ideal is disgraceful.
“At the end of the day, while the governor keeps going on national stages, the people of New Jersey must deal with his property tax increases here at home.”