(TRENTON) – Assembly Democrats Shavonda Sumter and Benjie Wimberly (Both D- Bergen and Passaic) on Thursday said Governor’s budget line item veto of additional Paterson school state aid comes as no surprise:
“The veto is disappointing, but I’m not surprised by the Governor’s action,” said Sumter, who is Assembly Majority Conference Leader. “It’s very clear today that funding education is not as critically important to this administration as it is to many in New Jersey. More now than ever, we will continue the fight in Trenton to relieve taxpayer burdens and improve education for all students.”
“The Governor had an opportunity to set right wrongs done to our education system, instead he fumbled,” said Wimberly. “It is not possible to improve education without the sufficient aid to do so. Nearly 300 Paterson teachers and teachers’ aides either have been laid off or are facing lay-offs this year. How does a state controlled school district get out from under the thumb of state government without proper resources and funding? Simple answer, they can’t.”