Robert Singer

February 26, 2007
Senator Robert Singer

Contact: Michelle Peal
(732) 901-0702

Schools Continue to Get Short Changed in State Budget

Senator Robert Singer, (R-30), issued the following statement in response to the Department of Education’s release of school aid figures for the coming school year.

During the past five years state aid for most school districts in New Jersey has been frozen, which has caused an estimated $2.2 billion shortfall. Inadequate school funding is the overwhelming reason for the state’s skyrocketing property taxes. That’s why I am disappointed to see that many of the towns in my district will only receive a 3 percent increase in state education funding.

The lack of state funding for public education is the reason I and my colleagues in District 30 started a statewide petition drive requesting that the Governor fully fund public education in the state. We are asking that residents in every town go to their municipal building to sign the petition. We will deliver it to the Governor at the end of March.

More than half of the $10 billion spent on education during the past five years went to 31 Abbott school districts. What was left was divvied up among the remaining 584 districts. We’ll have a similar scenario this year.

What is needed is a comprehensive plan to fund public schools in the state. This plan should be a top priority for the Governor and the Legislature, but instead of a new school funding formula what we have is another short-term scheme designed to get the majority party through another election year.

.

February 13, 2007
Senator Robert Singer (R-30)

Contact: Michelle Peal
(732) 901-0702

Singer: Lack of School Funding Proposal Is Another Promise Broken

Senator Robert Singer, (R-30), issued the following statement about the failure of the Governor and the Legislature to develop a new plan to fund public schools in New Jersey.

Governor Corzine and the Trenton politicians have failed New Jersey tax payers again. After promising that school funding was a top priority, we are now being told a new school funding plan will not be available in time for this year’s state budget proposal.

This news is not surprising because most of the ideas that came out of the special session were either watered down or ignored, but the lack of a new plan to fund public schools is disappointing because inadequate school funding is the number one reason why property taxes are up 40 percent.

During the past five years most school districts have been short changed by about $2.2 billion. More than half of the $10 billion spent on education went to 31 Abbott school districts. What was left was distributed to the remaining 584 districts, and the state has not increased aid to most schools in five years. That is why rural and suburban schools have been forced to rely more on property taxes that are now increasing 7 percent annually.

It is easy to talk about property tax relief, but much more difficult to bring about real reform. If the Governor and the Legislature do not develop a new school funding plan, we will not see real and lasting property tax reform.

I and my colleagues in District 30 are leading a statewide petition drive asking the Governor to fully fund public education in the state. Anything else is just nibbling around the edges.

January 25, 2007

District 30 Legislators Start Petition to Change School Funding

Senator Robert Singer and Assemblymen Joseph Malone and Ronald S. Dancer, (R-30), are leading a statewide petition drive asking Governor Corzine to fully fund public education. The petitions are being sent to every municipality in the state, and residents can go to their local town hall to sign up.

Inadequate school funding is the number one reason why property taxes are up 40 percent the past five years, said Senator Singer. School costs are responsible for about 60 percent of property tax bills, and most school districts are not receiving their fair share of state funding. We started this petition drive to allow taxpayers to voice their frustration and put the governor on notice.

During the past five years most school districts have been short changed by about $2.2 billion, said Assemblyman Malone. In the 2006 state budget over $10 billion was spent on education. More than half of that amount went to 31 Abbott school districts, and what was left was distributed to the remaining 584 districts.

We understand the need to help disadvantaged districts, but you can’t do it on the backs of all the other school districts in the state, added Assemblyman Dancer. The children in non-Abbott districts also deserve their fair share of state education funds.

No substantial legislation on property tax reform has been approved by the Legislature, but changing the school funding formula should be the top priority, added Singer. Everything else is just nibbling around the edges.

The petition drive will end the last week in March, and at that time the signed petitions will be delivered to Governor Corzine by the legislators.

January 3, 2007
Senator Robert Singer (R-30)

Contact: Michelle Peal
(732) 901-0792

Singer: Abolishing Death Penalty Wrong Step for New Jersey
Victims of Heinous Crimes Need Justice

Senator Robert Singer, (R-30), issued the following statement in response to a special commission report that recommended New Jersey abolish its death penalty and replace it with life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.

I am disappointed with the commission’s recommendation to abolish the death penalty. If the Legislature follows through with this idea it means that several of New Jersey’s most notorious murderers who are now on death row will no longer face true justice.

I encourage every member of the Legislature to take public testimony from the families of the victims of these crimes so that we can hear first hand how they have suffered. For the families the heartache is always there. They live out a life sentence everyday with no parole.

Capital punishment in New Jersey is narrowly applied to the worst of all murderers and rightfully undergoes a vigorous review. The state has never had a death row inmate proven innocent. I hope the Legislature will keep this in mind, and make the right decision to reject the special commission’s recommendation to abolish the death penalty.

###

December 21, 2006
S-2407
Senator Robert Singer (R-30)
(732) 901-0702

Singer: Why the Rush?
Civil Unions Bill is Expedited While Property Tax Reform Ignored

Senator Robert Singer, (R-30), issued the following statement regarding Senate bill 2407 that was signed into law today by Governor Corzine. The bill amends and supplements the state marriage statutes to include civil unions.

It is unfortunate that during a time when the residents of this state are struggling to pay the highest in the nation property taxes, the Governor thinks it is more important to sign into law a bill that could lead to the destruction of the traditional family, rather than developing a real plan for property tax relief.

I support the right of individuals to live the lives of their choice with dignity and respect, free of discrimination, with all of the benefits of our society. However, marriage has been traditionally defined as between one man and one woman, a definition that I believe is beneficial and important to our contemporary culture.

I proposed an amendment to Senate bill 2407 that would clarify in the statute that marriage shall be defined as between one man and one woman while reaching compliance with the State Supreme Court’s mandate in Lewis v. Harris. My amendment was rejected by the ruling party.

Everyone should be afforded the opportunity to avail themselves of the rights available to anyone else regardless of their sexual orientation. However, in our society every institution is built upon the traditional nuclear family and we must make every effort to protect traditional marriage as that foundation. That is why I am disappointed that this bill has become law without my amendment.