New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy on Sept. 11 was asked his thoughts on state Sen. M. Teresa Ruiz characterizing the $150 million in CARES funding set aside for the Department of Education as “shameful.” Ruiz, chair of the Senate Education Committee, made her comments Sept. 10 during a state Senate budget committee session.
“I didn’t see Sen. Ruiz’s comments, although she has been an outstanding partner and a great leader in education,” Murphy said during his coronavirus briefing. “I’m a huge fan of hers, but I [don’t] see it that way.”
He added that the amount of money was not a decision made “out of thin air. This was a give-and-take that we had with districts.”
“We don’t have enough federal money — period,” Murphy said. “And it is incredible that the Republican Senate cannot find a way through this.”
