Tom Kean: Underfunding School Formula Another Broken Promise by Corzine

October 9, 2009

Contact: Andy Pratt / (609) 292-5199
Senator Tom Kean (R-21)

Senate Republican Leader Tom Kean said Governor Corzine’s published comments on school aid in today’s Star-Ledger are worrisome. The Governor thinks he can save $500 million by not providing enough money in the 2010-2011 budget to meet the school funding formula, the newspaper said. In the current year, Governor Corzine underfinanced the school funding formula by $300 million.

“Governor Corzine made promises on school funding to the citizens of New Jersey and the New Jersey Supreme Court that he has not kept,” said Kean. “The lack of state aid will translate into school property tax increases across most of New Jersey.”

Governor Corzine also appears to be playing the dangerous game of ignoring the requirements in the New Jersey Supreme Court’s ruling on the constitutionality of the state’s school funding law, Kean said.

The New Jersey Supreme Court said in its ruling: “We therefore hold that the School Funding Reforming Act’s (SFRA) funding formula may be applied in Abbott districts, with the following caveats. Our finding of constitutionality is premised on the expectation that the State will continue to provide school funding aid during this and the next two years at the levels required by SFRA’s formula each year.”

Senator Kean noted that Republicans had doubts that Governor Corzine would keep his promise to fully fund his school aid formula.

“It looks as if the requirements of this law, which is less than two years old, will never be met by the Corzine Administration,” Kean said. “This poor fiscal management and inconsistency is exactly why New Jersey has severe financial problems.”