New Jersey Lawmakers Slam Murphy, Democrats Over ‘Disgraceful’ School Funding Cuts Amid Budget Windfall for Political Allies

Senator Jim Holzapfel, Assemblyman Greg McGuckin, and Assemblyman Paul Kanitra aren’t mincing words. The Republican lawmakers representing New Jersey’s 10th Legislative District are calling out what they describe as a catastrophic failure of leadership by Governor Phil Murphy and the Democratic majority in Trenton—a failure they say is forcing massive tax hikes on working families while rewarding politically aligned districts with lavish perks.

At the center of the controversy is the recently passed FY2026 state budget, which includes a nearly 13% property tax increase for Toms River residents to make up for what the lawmakers say is an unjust and punitive school funding formula. That formula, they argue, has been dismantled and rewritten by Democrats in a way that intentionally disadvantages suburban, Republican-leaning communities like Toms River.

“What the Democrats are doing to Toms River residents is nothing short of a disgrace,” the District 10 delegation said in a joint statement. “Governor Murphy and Trenton Democrats only have themselves to blame. They just rammed through a terrible budget with nearly $1 billion of pork to help their friends, while Republican communities are left to fend for themselves—all in the middle of a crushing affordability crisis. It’s absolutely tone deaf.”

The lawmakers pointed to a long list of questionable spending in the new budget, including:

• A $20 million allocation for a Maritime Park in Hoboken
• Funding for an indoor recreational facility in Monroe Township
• Capital improvements in the Wood-Ridge School District
• A noise control program for the Newark Police Department
• And what they call a “mysterious” line item for the Newark School District—already the subject of news reports detailing over $1 billion in state aid being spent on alcohol-fueled parties, Hawaiian travel, and hundreds of thousands in balloon purchases

“In what world does this make sense?” asked Assemblyman Kanitra. “Our schools are being told to do more with less, and local families are being told to foot the bill. Meanwhile, Newark is apparently hosting luaus on the taxpayers’ dime. It’s insulting.”

Senator Holzapfel went even further, calling the situation “the direct result of Phil Murphy’s failed leadership and Trenton Democrats’ warped priorities.”

“Democrats love to claim others haven’t lived up to their responsibilities,” Holzapfel said. “But the truth is, they’re the only ones who haven’t. They blew up a school funding formula that now punishes districts like Toms River and rewards their political allies.”

The delegation emphasized that the impact of these decisions isn’t theoretical—it’s real and immediate for working families in Ocean County. Residents who are already struggling to afford groceries, gas, and healthcare are now staring down a double-digit tax hike to cover basic school operations.

Assemblyman McGuckin noted, “It’s easy for Trenton insiders to pat themselves on the back when they’re playing with other people’s money. But there are seniors here who won’t be able to afford their homes because of this. There are young families considering whether they can stay in New Jersey at all. And the state’s answer is pork projects and party favors?”

The lawmakers say they plan to continue pressing for reforms to the school funding formula and greater transparency in the budget process. In the meantime, they are urging local residents to hold their elected officials accountable.

“Trenton has completely lost touch with reality,” the statement concluded. “And families across New Jersey are paying the price.”

As budget battles continue to expose deep divisions over how—and where—New Jersey’s tax dollars should be spent, the fight over school funding in Toms River may just be the first of many flashpoints in what’s shaping up to be a long, contentious year for state politics.