Political Spending and Influence

In politics, money is power. The NJEA automatically takes in over $120 million in property tax dollars and teachers dues every year. According to the state’s elections watchdog, the NJEA is by far the leader in reported political spending, but due to reporting loopholes and clever disguise, what is reported is only a fraction of what the NJEA really spends. The SPCNJ estimates that the modern NJEA – with its Executive Office dominated by political operatives – spends about $65 million a year on politics at the state and local level. This makes the NJEA the dominant political force in the state – as it has been for decades. Over the years, the NJEA’s unmatched political clout has allowed it to rig the political system for its benefit and fight attempts at reform, all to the detriment of New Jersey citizens.

Political Spending

Sign Up For Updates

Don’t miss facts that come to light.

Research Reports

Follow The Money: What The NJEA Really Spends On Politics

According to New Jersey’s elections watchdog, the Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC), when it comes to political spending that is officially reported to ELEC, the NJEA is by far the dominant player at both the state and local levels. As will be shown later in this report, the NJEA’s reported political spending is dwarfed by the amount of its actual political spending, most of which is covert and unreported.

Read The Full Report

Money Equals Power: How The NJEA Dominates New Jersey Politics

“The powerhouse” of New Jersey politics – that’s how the NJEA describes itself. And the facts back them up.

For more than 50 years, the NJEA has dominated New Jersey politics.

In fact, the modern era of New Jersey politics has been one continuous saga of the NJEA wielding extraordinary influence to serve its own interests. It has constructed a system that automatically and annually generates tens of millions of taxpayer dollars— presently $129 million—funneled directly into its coffers. It spends far more of these tax dollars on political action than is reported or generally known. The SPCNJ estimates that the NJEA spends about $65 million a year on political action at the state and local levels, which dwarfs all other political spenders.

Read The Full Report

The Evidence Is Mounting: Teachers’ Unions Drove School Closures, Which Harmed Kids

Posted November 15, 2021

Multiple research reports show that teachers’ unions, including the NJEA, put the interests of their members over the interests of the kids by pushing to keep schools closed during the pandemic It is widely recognized…

Congratulations to Montclair Parents on Your Elected School Board Victory!

Posted November 8, 2021

In a repudiation of NJEA President/Montclair Mayor Sean Spiller’s massive conflict of interest, Montclair voters overwhelmingly chose to change from a mayor-appointed school board to an elected school board. It was a rout: 70% to…

Harvard Study: Teachers’ Union Strength Determined Whether Schools Were Open During COVID

Posted November 2, 2021

In a new report, Harvard Business School professor Joshua Coval has shed light on the facts behind COVID-related school closures. Coval analyzed the data about which school districts opted for remote learning and found that…

All Blog Posts On This Issue