LACEY, NJ — The proposed state aid cuts for the Lacey Township School District has officials “furious,” and they urge residents to contact state government officials about it.
Earlier in March, Gov. Phil Murphy unveiled his proposed state budget. In it, the Lacey Township School District had its state aid cut by 27.49 percent, representing a loss of nearly $4 million. Read more: Massive State Aid Cuts To Lacey School District In 2023-24 Budget
Mayor Tim McDonald brought up the cuts at a recent Township Committee meeting, saying that they were “absurd.”
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“I heard a number last night that I almost fell off my chair,” McDonald said. “It’s in the double digits, the number of teachers that are going to lose their jobs in Lacey Township.”
He slammed Murphy for the loss of aid to Lacey schools and other districts throughout the state that “are continuing to get cut after cut after cut.”
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“It affects the education of our students, there’s no question about it,” McDonald said.
He called for residents to contact Murphy’s office, the state Department of Education and the New Jersey Education Association office in Toms River.
“Let’s light up those switchboards,” McDonald said. “Let’s make it so they can’t do any work.”
Committeeman Peter Curatolo also mentioned that at a recent Ocean County Mayors’ Association meeting, a representative from the New Jersey League of Municipalities spoke on the budget, including school cuts.
“The only good news in the room that I heard for townships like ours is that there’s hope that it could change,” Curatolo said.
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