TRENTON, N.J. — Twenty Republican members of the New Jersey General Assembly are urging state officials to reject a proposed $500 million lease agreement approved by the Newark Board of Education.
In a letter sent this week to the state Department of Education, the Office of the State Comptroller and the Local Finance Board, the lawmakers called for closer scrutiny of the 30-year lease for a school building approved March 25.
“If you allow this agreement to proceed, you will cement New Jerseyans’ distrust in government and put future school funding for 1.3 million students in jeopardy,” the lawmakers wrote.
The proposed lease, which involves a building owned by a private developer, requires state approval before moving forward.
In their letter, the Republican lawmakers raised concerns about the cost of the agreement and cited past spending decisions by the district as examples of what they described as insufficient oversight.
“When state taxpayers outside of Newark pay for 83% of the school district’s budget, they expect a certain level of accountability, transparency, and academic performance. Newark is missing the mark on all fronts,” they wrote.
Newark Public Schools’ proposed budget for the upcoming year totals $1.67 billion, including about $1.38 billion in state funding. Lawmakers noted that the state is planning to increase funding to the district by $60.5 million.
They also compared the lease cost to other school construction projects in the state and questioned whether the agreement represents a cost-effective use of public funds.
“Taxpayer dollars belong in the classroom supporting instruction, not wasted on exorbitantly expensive and politically connected contracts,” they continued. “Spending $1.4 million a month to lease a building that is owned by a donor to Newark Mayor Ras Baraka’s failed gubernatorial campaign warrants critical inspection, especially when Newark school board members refused to publicly reveal the developer’s identity.”
The lawmakers also pointed to broader fiscal challenges faced by other school districts across New Jersey.
“Reject Newark’s latest $500 million debacle when the plan arrives at your office. It is your responsibility to ensure that officials at Newark Public Schools stop wasting taxpayer dollars and start properly educating students. The buck stops with you,” they wrote.
