(TRENTON) – Assembly Higher Education Chairwoman Celeste Riley (D-Gloucester/Salem/Cumberland) released the following statement Thursday ay on the signing of legislation she sponsored (A-4202) to appropriate $715.7 million in voter-approved funding from the Building Our Future Bond Act for public and private institutions of higher education:
“This will not only help our institutions of higher learning attract and retain students, and in turn, industries looking for a capable workforce, but it will create jobs as improvement projects get underway. It’s an all-around win.
“New Jersey struggles to keep college bound students in the state, despite boasting plenty of accomplished colleges and universities. Thanks to the voters and this law, we are on our way to changing that. By strengthening our institutions of higher learning, we strengthen New Jersey.
“The best investment we can make to stay ahead of the competition is in education. College is an investment that not many young people can afford to make. With this voter-approved funding, our colleges will be able to make needed infrastructure improvements that will keep them competitive, without adding to soaring tuition costs.”