“The mayors and council members in Bayonne and Jersey City face difficult budget choices,” Vincent Militello said. A candidate for the Democratic nomination for State Senate District 31, Militello is pushing for education reforms. “Unfortunately, the answer to these tough budget questions is inextricably tied to the antiquated tax system in New Jersey.”

The school system’s dependence on funds from property taxes is creating an enormous burden on the people in the district. Even with the highest property taxes in the nation funding the state’s educational districts, New Jersey school systems are having trouble making ends meet.

“New Jersey has always been proud of its top-notch educational system and it is important that we preserve those values despite budget shortfalls and a faltering economy,” Militello said. “With Bayonne schools scoring almost 10 percentage points under the state average and Jersey City schools scoring over 30 percentage points behind the state average in testing, Trenton has to do something to help failing school districts.”

The New Jersey State Department of Education Statewide Assessment Reports show that the statewide average for overall student proficiency is 64.33 percent. While Bayonne scores are deficient at 56.3 percent, Jersey City schools are lagging even further behind at 30.37 percent. Both Bayonne and Jersey City are facing difficult funding questions but our children must be a priority.

“As I continue talking with voters of the 31st District I am beginning to see a trend in their opinions,” Militello said. “The residents of Bayonne and Jersey City are upset about the direction of the school system’s funding. The recent scores on the High School Proficiency Assessment showed only six schools in Hudson County are above the average in math and English. We can’t continue to allow Trenton to sell our children short.”

For more information about the Militello for State Senate campaign, contact Mircalla Wozniak or Katie Dowd at (201) 339-8020 or stop by the campaign headquarters at 536 Broadway in Bayonne.