NJ Education Report

The Wall Street Journal looks at the relationship between NJEA President Barbara Keshishian and Gov. Christie. Here’s Andrew Rotherham: “Chris Christie isn’t the most convenient messenger for the education-reform movement, because of his take-no-prisoners style. But he’s on to something big—that the huge cost for public schools is no longer sustainable.” The piece continues,

The average New Jersey teacher makes $61,277 a year, well above the U.S. average of $52,800, according to the National Education Association. New Jersey teachers get medical and other benefits costing $19,140 a year, according to the teachers union. The New Jersey Treasurer estimates its unfunded liabilities relating to lifetime health benefits for current and retired teachers is $36.32 billion.

To foot that and other bills, New Jersey residents pay an average of 11.8% of their income in state and local taxes, the highest in the nation, according to the Tax Foundation, a Washington, D.C., think tank. The average property tax bill for owner-occupied residences in New Jersey is $6,579, also a U.S. high.