Funding for Freehold Borough Schools Approved Following Advocacy From Assembly Members Houghtaling and Downey

Assembly Members Eric Houghtaling and Joann Downey on Thursday commended an announcement from the state Department of Education that the State of New Jersey will fund a construction project for desperately-needed facilities for Freehold Borough K-8 School District. Though they have been in office for only seven months, Houghtaling and Downey have spent significant time tackling the school funding disparities in Freehold Borough and other Monmouth County districts, and welcome the State’s announcement as a significant step forward in their fight for fair school funding for every school district in the state. The State has agreed to fund roughly 85 percent of the originally-proposed $32.9 million construction project.

“After so many meetings, letters, tours, and conference calls, it is gratifying that the State has heard not only our pleas, but the voices of our constituents,” said Downey (D-Monmouth), “There remains much work to be done, however, which is why Assemblyman Houghtaling and I are not stopping here. We will keep fighting for our schools.”

“We’ve seen more progress on school funding issues in the last six months than we have seen in many, many years. It shows the tide is finally shifting in Trenton,” said Houghtaling (D-Monmouth), “The parents, teachers, and administrators of Freehold Borough have been tireless when it comes to fighting for their children, so securing this funding was the least we as legislators could do.”

Despite years of severe overcrowding compounded by underfunding by the state, Freehold Borough School District and Monmouth County legislators had been thus far unsuccessful in securing funds for much-needed construction. Houghtaling and Downey witnessed first-hand the cramped quarters and makeshift classrooms necessitated by bulging class sizes and lack of funding during several tours of the schools and meeting with Superintendent Rocco Tomazic. After their first tour, the Assembly Members requested an emergency meeting with state Department of Education Commissioner David Hespe, calling the overcrowding a ‘crisis situation.’

The freshman Assembly Members have taken to the Legislature as well to propose fixes to not only Freehold Borough’s overcrowding crisis, but to the enduring issue of inequitable school funding. In June, Houghtaling and Downey joined Senate President Steve Sweeney and Senate Education Chairwoman M. Teresa Ruiz to introduce legislation that would establish the “State School Aid Funding Fairness Commission.” The commission members, experienced in state budgeting and school finance, would make recommendations within a year that would go straight to the floor of the Legislature for an up-or-down vote.

“Providing this funding for the Freehold Borough construction project is our short-term fix, and the Funding Fairness Commission will provide a long-term fix,” said Downey, “Assemblyman Houghtaling and I feel very committed and connected to this issue, because it affects so many of our constituents.”

“For too long, political posturing has taken the place of real progress when it comes to the issue of school funding,” said Houghtaling, “Assemblywoman Downey and I are proud of the progress we’ve made so far, but we’re not stopping now, because results matter.”