Richard A. Sokerka
Gov. Phil Murphy’s first fiscal budget for New Jersey contains millions of dollars in new taxes to promote his agenda yet mandates cuts for nonpublic school transportation.
Does the governor not realize that transportation for nonpublic school students is the lifeblood of nonpublic schools?
In his budget, the ceiling for nonpublic school transportation was cut from $1,000 to $884. The Legislature had increased the $884 to $1,000 for the 2017–2018 school year. This allowed many parents to be able to get transportation for their children as a result of this increase.
The reduction from $1,000 per pupil to $884 is particularly disturbing for nonpublic school students and parents because Gov. Murphy’s budget contains more than $283 million in new money for public schools.
Does the governor not know that designating more money for already failing public school districts does nothing to improve education, but everything to do with spiraling property taxes, already among the highest in the nation?
Most nonpublic school transportation is provided by private bus companies. Many of the companies either do not bid on a route at $884 or less or have already indicated that they can only bid at a higher rate.
Without transportation, parents are often unable to get their children to school, even though the aid-in-lieu amount is paid to the parent in the amount of $884. Many of these parents work two and three jobs in order to cover the nonpublic school tuition. When a bus route is cancelled because of the bid ceiling, many nonpublic school students are forced to transfer to a public school at greater taxpayer expense. It is important to note that no public school student is ever denied transportation as a result of the cost.
Does the governor not realize that nonpublic schools save the taxpayers of New Jersey more than $1.6 billion every year?
It’s time the governor got up to speed on this important issue and revamps his budget to restore this critical funding to nonpublic schools. If they ever disappear from his view, he’ll have to raise taxes even more than he planned to do!