Oroho appointed to school-funding committee

TRENTON — State Sen. Steven Oroho has been appointed to serve on a select committee created by the New Jersey Senate to examine the state's broken school funding system that is a major component of New Jersey's property tax crisis.
"There's little dispute that our state's unfair distribution of state school aid has led to New Jersey having the highest property taxes in the nation," said Oroho. "Rural regions like ours often end up paying the price for huge disparities in aid that leave us subsidizing others and paying more in local property taxes. I'm glad to have the opportunity to serve on the committee to fight for a fair school funding formula."
The bipartisan Select Committee on School Funding Fairness was created through the Senate's unanimous adoption of SR-100 on Jan. 10. Oroho is among the four Republican members of the committee, who will serve alongside four Democrat members. The other Republican members are committee Co-Chair Senator Joe Pennacchio and Senators Mike Doherty and Sam Thompson.
The committee has been tasked with examining the issue of school funding, through hearings held around the state, to produce recommendations for legislative changes that will enact necessary reforms.
"I haven't shied away from tackling the big issues that others have avoided for too long," said Oroho. "We'll never succeed in making New Jersey more affordable or create better opportunities for our residents by sticking our heads in the sand for another year or another decade. I'm ready to work with all of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle because I believe there is consensus that school funding reform is both critical and something we can get done."