Education reform, health care, property taxes: NJ Legislature must act in 2024

A new New Jersey Legislature will soon be sworn in. What should be the 2024 legislative agenda?

NJ needs education reform

For starters, we desperately need education reform. That starts with refraining from saying our K-12 system is "one of the very best in the country." Are there pockets of exceptional success? Unequivocally, yes. But on the whole, the system is failing our students and taxpayers.

Too many students — more than 50% in many school districts — are not on grade level for reading, writing and math. As many as 50% of the students attending our county colleges require remedial courses (i.e., classes students must take to build skills before they are allowed to take regular college courses). One of every two high school graduates can’t name the three branches of government, nor can they name our fundamental rights under the First Amendment.

Plainly and painfully, our K-12 system is "graduating" students who lack basic skills and knowledge.

The 2024 legislative agenda should begin with a package of education reforms, including a high-impact curriculum and longer school year for students not on grade level for basic skills; more robust civics instruction; more vocational training opportunities; an age-appropriate curriculum; school choice for students whose district is not a good fit; vouchers for those who attend non-public schools; a more equitable school funding formula; transparency and accountability from districts that receive the greatest amount of state school aid; and a parents' and teachers' bill of rights that ensures respect for both the parent and the educator.

NJ needs meaningful property tax reform

When we talk about making New Jersey more affordable, we need to address permanent and meaningful property tax reform and the critical need for more affordable housing. We can lower property taxes by capping homeowners’ property tax bills, as other states do, at a set percentage of home value. We can also make New Jersey a better place to retire by freezing property taxes for life once any homeowner is 70 years old. These are examples of fair, meaningful and permanent reforms.

Property tax/renter programs like ANCHOR and StayNJ do absolutely nothing to permanently lower taxes. Like every other rebate gimmick handed out by politicians, these programs will run out of funding and taxes will continue to rise. We need real reform.

Addressing the affordable housing shortage also requires a legislative solution, so long as it’s done smartly. Otherwise, there will soon be no garden left in the Garden State. To end suburban sprawl and an ever-increasing carbon footprint, we need to incentivize the creation of compelling urban affordable housing and, in so doing, direct population growth toward our cities. Dynamic urban revitalization would benefit the state in myriad ways.

NJ's health care system needs attention

Health care is another area in desperate need of the Legislature’s attention. First, we need a new and improved Patient Bill of Rights. Second, individuals and small businesses need an easier way to aggregate their purchasing power to lower health insurance costs. Third, we need teenage suicide prevention measures and more mental health clinics, which county government could effectively address if properly funded by the state. The same goes for addressing homelessness.

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Trenton must ask, 'Where can we cut expenses?'

Of course, in the first half of 2024, the agenda will include legislative review of the governor’s budget. Early estimates show that state revenues are down significantly and cannot sustain the spending spree we’ve seen in Phil Murphy’s first six budgets. With spending up 150% — $18 billion — in six years’ time, the inside talk of Trenton, believe it or not, is “What taxes can we raise?”

The more appropriate question is “Where can we cut expenses?”

Raising taxes and tolls is always the easy way out. And so, the Democratic majority would be terribly shortsighted to reverse the scheduled decrease in the corporate business tax, even if the reversal is dedicated to funding NJ Transit. As for any dedicated funding source for NJ Transit, we already have one. It’s called the state budget, which should reflect appropriate funding of critical priorities.

A useful reminder for Phil Murphy and the Democratic majority: Due to the Great Recession, Gov. Chris Christie’s first budget was $6 billion less than Gov. Jon Corzine’s last. It was balanced without raising taxes a penny or borrowing a dime. The state survived and people weren’t living in the streets.

In summary, the 2024 legislative agenda should include reforms specific to education, property taxes, affordable housing, urban revitalization, health care, homelessness, and fiscally responsible budgeting marked by thoughtful decreases in spending.

At home and abroad, these are very challenging times. Perhaps the holiday season can remind us of our commonality, keeping in the mind the solemn wish of our greatest president, Abraham Lincoln, “to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.”

Wishing all New Jersey residents a wonderful holiday season and peace, especially among ourselves, in the New Year.

Jack Ciattarelli, the 2021 Republican nominee for New Jersey governor and a likely 2025 gubernatorial candidate, is a regular contributor to the opinion pages of USA TODAY Network New Jersey publications. 

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NJ Legislature: Act on these priorities in 2024