Staff Reports
New Jersey Republicans are turning up the heat on Governor Mikie Sherrill to opt the state into the federal Education Freedom Tax Credit. The GOP says the choice is simple: file the paperwork and keep scholarship dollars in New Jersey, or do nothing and watch private donations help students in other states. With a hard federal deadline looming, this is as close to a no‑brainer as politics ever gets.
GOP Lawmakers Demand Action on School Choice
Assemblyman Michael Inganamort and a group of Republican lawmakers have publicly urged Governor Mikie Sherrill to sign New Jersey up for the federal scholarship tax credit program. They even filed legislation, A‑4777, to force the state to participate if the governor stalls. “You’d have to be crazy not to opt in,” Inganamort said — blunt, direct and exactly the point. Assemblywoman Dawn Fantasia echoed the urgency, saying New Jersey is “leaving non‑taxpayer funds on the table” while families and property taxpayers feel the squeeze.
Deadlines, Dollars, and What’s at Stake
The federal program gives taxpayers a dollar‑for‑dollar credit — up to $1,700 for individuals and $3,400 for joint filers — when they donate to scholarship granting organizations that pay for private tuition, tutoring, special education, and other school expenses. The Treasury has set firm deadlines: a state must file an advance election by January 1 and submit an approved SGO list by February 15 to participate in the 2027 cycle. Supporters warn New Jersey could miss out on more than $900 million in scholarship funds if Trenton waits too long. That’s real money for kids, not political theater.
Sherrill’s Response and the Politics of Choice
Governor Mikie Sherrill’s press team says the administration will “evaluate the program once federal rules are finalized.” Translation: we’re waiting. That stance leaves a short window for action and hands the talking points to teachers’ unions and critics who say the program drains public school funding. Here’s the reality: families want options, and private donors want their donations to help New Jersey children. If the governor really puts students first, she’ll file the election and keep those dollars here.
Conclusion — A Simple Test for Leadership
This fight is less about accounting and more about priorities. Either your leaders make sure New Jersey kids can benefit from billions in private scholarship dollars, or they let politics decide. Republicans are right to press the point, GOP lawmakers have offered a legislative backstop, and the clock is ticking. Governor Mikie Sherrill should stop studying the memo and start doing the job: opt in, protect the scholarships, and let parents choose what’s best for their children. Anything less smells like politics over kids.
