9th District Legislators Praise the Efforts of their Constituents for Engaging in the Legislative Process

In representing the interests of their constituents, Senator Christopher Connors, Assemblyman Brian Rumpf, and Assemblywoman DiAnne Gove voted “YES” on legislation (S-3732) to restore 66% of the funding to 168 school districts that otherwise would have their aid cut under the state school funding formula and Governor Murphy’s proposed budget for the 2023-2024 school year.

Connors, Rumpf, and Gove voted ‘YES’ on legislation to restore 66% of the funding to 168 school districts that would otherwise be cut under Governor Murphy’s proposed budget for the 2023-2024 school year. (Flickr)

Connors, Rumpf, and Gove voted against the current school funding law (S-2/A-2) which was enacted in 2018, recognizing not only that catastrophic cuts would be imposed on constituent school districts, but also that the state’s school funding would become even more politicized to the detriment of thousands of students, education professionals, parents, and taxpayers.

The 9th District delegation wrote directly to Governor Murphy calling on him to veto S-2/A-2 to break with the state’s policy failed education funding policies.

A copy of S-3732, which lists the funding amounts restored to impacted districts, can be reviewed by clicking this link.

Connors, Rumpf, and Gove made the following statement subsequent to S-3732 passing both houses of the State Legislature and being sent to the Governor’s desk:

“It’s unconscionable that Trenton has allowed politics to dictate how our schools are funded for so long, after witnessing firsthand the devastating consequences for impacted school districts which were deliberately targeted under the current funding formula.

“Making this more appalling is that this was all foreseeable but, as usual in Trenton, politics won out in the end.

“Miraculously, Trenton has now seen the error of its ways and moved to restore a considerable amount of funding to school districts that have been targeted for cuts, though not all funding. While this will in no way compensate for the damage done through years of funding cuts, it is a move in the direction of reform and a clear signal that Trenton can no longer ignore the growing chorus of residents who are tired of their school districts being used as political pawns. It’s not so much that corrective action is long overdue but more we should have never reached this point, especially when considering the quality of so many children’s education is directly at stake.

“For our constituents, each member of our delegation supported a hostile amendment to fully restore funding to impacted school districts as opposed to just the 66% restoration of funding. Not surprisingly, this was too much for Trenton as surely State House power brokers have other plans for that funding which is, after all, taxpayer dollars.

“That being said, we want to thank the hundreds of constituents who contacted our delegation in support of S-3732 so that impacted school districts in our area receive more state funding. Your active engagement in the legislative process proved successful and it is our delegation’s privilege to serve as your 9th District representatives.”