Most in N.J. favor more education spending

But results of a Rutgers-Eagleton poll say they most want reductions in overall sate spending.

A new poll shows most New Jersey residents want the state to spend more money on education.

Even though Garden State residents want overall state spending to be reduced, Rutgers-Eagleton poll director David Redlawsk said 59 percent of those surveyed say not enough is being spent on schools.

“They’re not as supportive of spending more money on things like transit or public safety issues, but for some reason education is one of those places where they’re just willing to say hey we need to support it,” said Redlawsk.

Redlawsk said there are partisan differences; almost twice as many Democrats as Republicans said that state education funding is inadequate. He said the majority of residents in both parties support the idea of merit pay but oppose Governor Chris Christie’s proposal to have teachers’ salaries based on student test scores.