newjerseynewsroom.com

BY CELESTE RILEY

COMMENTARY

On Monday, I cast a vote in favor of the 2 percent property tax cap, but I concede it was among the most difficult votes I've ever taken.

Voting for the new cap was the right thing to do.

Taxpayers here in our district and across the state simply can't sustain the painful increases we've been faced with for so many years now. This new cap — with its difficult choices — will at least bring some relief to the most heavily burdened taxpayers in the nation.

Unfortunately, this is not a perfect bill.

It magnifies what was already a leading concern of mine — how will New Jersey properly fund education in the future?

As a teacher, I have devoted my life to educating children, and I am a proud member of the New Jersey Education Association.

One of New Jersey's best selling points is its strong public school system. Our students and teachers are the envy of many other states. And we need to make sure it stays that way by retaining quality teachers with competitive salaries, benefits, and a fully funded pension system.

The challenge is to do this without demanding more from our property taxes. Property taxes account for more than 40 percent of total state and local tax revenue in New Jersey, compared to a national average of about 30 percent.

It's time we looked hard at new and creative ways to pay for schools that will maintain New Jersey's competitive edge without a disproportionate burden on the our residents.

If other states can do it, surely we can too.

Celeste Riley, a Democrat, is an Assemblywoman representing 3rd Legislative District in Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem.