Sen. Beck Votes to Block Long Branch Tax, School Relief

LONG BRANCH - In a partisan vote taken July 3rd in Trenton, Senator Jennifer Beck (R-Monmouth) attempted to block $683,873 in additional state funding to the deeply underfunded Long Branch School District. Had Beck’s effort been successful, the over half million in increased funding would have reverted back to Governor Christie’s originally intended destinations, mostly comprised of over-funded schools outside Monmouth County.

Beck’s vote fell nearly along party lines, with one Ocean County Republican opposing his party on the bill.

The $683,873 in additional funding to Long Branch would be critical in limiting future property tax increases imposed upon the overtaxed residents of the district.

This vote would come after years of underfunding to Long Branch schools and millions in overtaxing of the City’s residents. Long Branch is consistently ranked as underfunded and residents have seen consistent property tax increases to fund the gap left by the State. Meanwhile, many districts around the state had maintained significant over-funding for years, most of which fall outside Monmouth County.