Fasano calls for abolition of school formula

Anthony Fasano, Republican Candidate for Sussex County Freeholder and current Board President of the Hopatcong Board of Education, is asking for other elected leaders in Sussex County to join his call to Governor Phil Murphy to “abolish the school funding formula and to create a new funding solution that values every student in New Jersey equally.”

Changes made to the formula by Governor Murphy and the Democrats in the legislature significantly reduces the amount of school aid in this area of the state by nearly $40M annually. That change is questionable, at best, while nothing more than a politically motivated transaction, at worst. The repercussions of this fundamental shift in educational policy and funding are already being felt across Sussex County and we are only in year one of it’s multi-year implementation. The full impact of this funding reduction will not be felt for many years. Schools are being closed, talented faculty are being laid-off, services are being reduced and taxation is and will continue to increase all as a result of this reckless cut.

Public education is an asset for New Jersey and Sussex County. Our state consistently ranks as one of the best in the nation when it comes to public education, which is currently serving as the state’s best excuse for its highest in the nation taxation. Without good public schools, New Jersey’s economy will fundamentally fail, home values will suffer and our students will not be prepared for the future that awaits them. Sussex County is no exception to that, especially when it comes to career technical education and our ability to teach and prepare the non-college bound learner. Right now, there are high-paying technical jobs in Sussex County that remain unfilled due to the lack of certified applicants. Sussex County’s public schools are well positioned to lead on this but mostly cannot, due to the lack of funding for the foreseeable future.

“Sussex County’s public education infrastructure is under attack and so are the effects it has on property values, economic development, the well-being of our county and our ability to prepare our young scholars for the future. Students, teachers and taxpayers in Sussex County deserve better than what we are getting from Trenton. Today, I am asking you to join me in a call to the Governor to abolish the school funding formula and to create a solution that values every student in New Jersey equally when it comes to regular education funding.” Fasano said.