New Jersey State Steve Oroho (R-Sussex, Morris, Hunterdon) sent a letter today inviting Senate President Steve Sweeney and the entire Democratic caucus in the New Jersey Senate to sign on as co-sponsors of SCR-121. The proposed constitutional amendment, sponsored by Oroho, clarifies that the responsibility of determining levels of education funding rests solely with the Legislature, not the Judiciary.
The letter reads, ” For more than two decades an activist Court has improperly assumed the powers of the State Legislature on many issues, including school funding. As a result of past court decisions, New Jersey’s school funding formula has been constructed so that about 60 percent of all state education aid is directed to just a handful of school districts….. If we are to effectively improve educational outcomes for all students in New Jersey, we must increase the Legislature’s ability to adopt critical reforms without being continually hamstrung by an overreaching Court. That is why I have sponsored a constitutional amendment to make it perfectly clear that education funding levels are to be determined at the sole discretion of the Legislature, and not dictated by members of the unelected Judiciary."
The letter was sent a day before the State Supreme Court is expected to issue its latest ruling on education funding.
The text of the entire letter is below:
May 23, 2011
Honorable Stephen M. Sweeney, Senate President
New Jersey State Senate
935 Kings Highway, Suite 400
West Deptford, New Jersey 08086
Dear Senate President Sweeney,
For more than two decades an activist Court has improperly assumed the powers of the State Legislature on many issues, including school funding. As a result of past court decisions, New Jersey’s school funding formula has been constructed so that around 60 percent of all state education aid is directed to just a handful of school districts.
I am sure that you support efforts to improve educational outcomes for all students in New Jersey, and would agree that educational reforms should not be limited to court orders to spend more money, especially when New Jersey already spends more per pupil than anywhere else in the entire country.
It is my belief that New Jersey does not have a school funding problem, rather we have a problem with the allocation of existing resources. Previous Court rulings have made it virtually impossible for the Legislature to adopt common-sense education reforms that members of both parties support.If we are to effectively improve educational outcomes for all students in New Jersey, we must increase the Legislature’s ability to adopt critical reforms without being continually hamstrung by an overreaching Court.
That is why I have sponsored a constitutional amendment to make it perfectly clear that education funding levels are to be determined at the sole discretion of the Legislature, and not dictated by members of the unelected Judiciary.
All of my colleagues in the Senate Republican caucus have joined as co-sponsors of the amendment, SCR-121. In your role as Senate President, I invite you and the entire Democratic caucus to also sign on as co-sponsors of this important and timely legislation.
Working together, Republicans and Democrats can help ensure that all children have an opportunity to receive the education they deserve at an affordable cost.
Thank you for your consideration of this request, and I eagerly await your response.
Sincerely,
Senator Steve Oroho
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