Washington, DC- Congressman Donald Norcross (NJ-01) today released the following statement in response to Rutgers University-Camden Senator Walter Rand Institute for Public Affairs report:  Is South Jersey Getting Its “Fair Share” of Public Goods? which concluded:    “...counties in the South of Jersey are far less likely than those in the North or Central regions to receive public goods, either as state aid, state assumption of project costs within the county, or general public benefits like transportation infrastructure, education, and good public health.”

“The findings of this report confirm what we in South Jersey have known for a long time – there are clear public funding disparities between Southern New Jersey and the rest of the state. That is why I championed the Economic Opportunity Act (EOA) that continues to bring good paying jobs and businesses to our communities. It is why I authored the Higher Education Restructuring Act, which provided more capacity and opportunities for local students, resulted in Rowan University becoming a fully recognized research university with a thriving medical school, and granted Rutgers University-Camden more autonomy and funding from Rutgers’ main campus. It is also why I have advocated both at a state and national level for funding to improve our infrastructure, including expanding light-rail in our region.

South Jersey has only ever asked for its fair share, I can assure you I will always fight for our region’s hard working families. There is still much work to be done, and we must continue to level the playing field to invest in good jobs for our families, quality affordable educational opportunities, and safe reliable infrastructure. Now I’m continuing the fight for New Jersey’s fair share of Federal funding as a member of Congress, and recently helped secure tens of millions of dollars through grants that will enhance our roads, expand access to educational opportunities for children and keep our communities safer,” said Congressman Donald Norcross (NJ-01).

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Congressman Donald Norcross is a member of the House Armed Services Committee and the House Budget Committee, and serves as Assistant Whip in the 114^th Congress.

 http://norcross.house.gov