I am writing here to make my position on state funding for private education clear.
We have a societal obligation to ensure that every child in this district, regardless of background or socioeconomic position, receives a high-quality education. This means ensuring that our public schools—which serve the overwhelming majority of children in this district—remain strong and fully funded.
But our societal obligation does not stop there. A large number of families in this district utilize private schools, often at a crushing financial cost. They too deserve support, and I am absolutely committed to delivering it for them.
To do that, we need to be creative and honest. We need to dedicate ourselves to solutions that actually work. I share the view of every Democratic gubernatorial candidate (including both Mayor Fulop and Congressman Gottheimer) that vouchers are not a good idea and that they will not pass in New Jersey. Any candidate or politician claiming otherwise is pandering and making a promise to you that they cannot keep. Empty promises don’t pay yeshiva tuition bills, and struggling families cannot afford to continue waiting for solutions that don’t—and won’t—succeed.
The good news is that there are solutions that can succeed and that I am committed to pursuing—like expanding the STEM incentive grant legislation, which aligns interests between public and private schools, and can deliver meaningful savings. Expanding these solutions to other areas will be my focus, and it is how we will deliver real help for families in this district. Creative and practical solutions are a part of my track record on the Tenafly council and what I do best.
Above all else, I plan to be engaged—and honest. You deserve a representative who will be accessible, tell you the truth and deliver more for you than unfulfilled promises. That has been missing, and I am committed to changing it. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at [email protected].
