NJ Policy Perspective’s “Blueprint” for NJ Aligns with the NJEA and Its Vast Network of Allies

Progressive think-tank New Jersey Policy Perspective (NJPP) released its policy blueprint for NJ.  Sunlight is not going to delve into all the policy proposals.  Readers can do that at their leisure.

Sunlight highlights two facts about the report:

1. NJPP states that it worked in “close collaboration” with many other NJ progressive groups who make up the NJEA’s vast network of allies.  This spider web of organizations is funded by the NJEA and other public sector unions and/or work in close collaboration with them.  They include: Anti-Poverty Network of New Jersey, Blue Wave New Jersey, Education Law Center, Make the Road New Jersey, New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant justice, New Jersey Citizen Action, NJEA, New Jersey Working Families, New Labor, Julia Sass Rubin of Save Our Schools, and SEIU.
2. In the areas of direct concern to the NJEA – raising taxes and government spending – NJPP once again takes the NJEA’s positions.  First, raise taxes: reinstate the estate tax and/or raise the inheritance tax; raise property taxes on high-value homes; raise the sales tax back to 7%; raise corporate taxes.  So government spending can also be raised: fully fund the School Funding Reform Act, make the full pension payment, and increase funding for Pre-K and community colleges. (Notwithstanding the fact that the state already spends 17% more on Abbott districts than the state average; that NJ already spends 59% more on education than the national average; and that pouring $3.9 billion into the broken and unreformed teachers pension system is a waste of taxpayer dollars).

Recall that the NJEA is a major funder of NJPP and that NJPP often provides “independent research” in support of the NJEA and its allies’ positions.  So it’s really no surprise that the NJPP’s blueprint follows the same pattern.  The bottom line is that the blueprint appears to be yet another example of NJPP acting as the research arm of the NJEA and its web of allies.

NJ citizens should see it for what it is.