New Jersey Lawmakers Spar Over School Funding Formula

TRENTON, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- Two New Jersey lawmakers are getting ready to do battle over the best way to reform the state's school funding formula.

Democratic Senate President Steve Sweeney says Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto -- also a Democrat -- is standing in the way of truly fixing how schools are funded in New Jersey.

"What you have is one person blocking reform," Sweeney tells WCBS 880's Mike Smeltz.

Sweeney wants to do away with funding caps and bumped up adjustment aid for districts, something that was originally supposed to be temporary but have yet to be phased out.

Prieto says Sweeney's plan is not as simple as it seems and could, in fact, increase education money disparities.

Sweeney warns that if the legislature doesn't come together soon, Governor Christie may get his way of completely doing away with the current funding formula, offering instead a flat amount per student no matter where they live.

New Jersey