The Ridgewood Blog Brings a Free Market Laissez-faire Point of View to Local, New Jersey State and National Issues.
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Trenton NJ, The New Jersey Department of Health has confirmed the state’s first human cases of West Nile Virus (WNV) this year.
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Trenton NJ, Senator Robert Singer (R-Monmouth, Ocean) has been appointed to serve on the New Jersey Commission on Science, Innovation and Technology.
“New Jersey has long-been an incubator for innovators,” Singer said. “From the light bulb, to the solar panel, to dozens of lifesaving pharmaceuticals, countless innovations were created right here in the Garden State. By reinstating the Commission on Science, Innovation and Technology, we are continuing that historic legacy. I am honored to have the opportunity to serve as a member of this commission. Together, we will develop strategies to encourage more groundbreaking researchers and entrepreneurs to set up shop in New Jersey.”
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Newark NJ, The Office of the Attorney General and the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs today warned residents in flood-ravaged New Jersey communities in Bergen, Essex, Monmouth, Ocean, and Passaic counties to beware of price gouging and other disaster-related consumer fraud in the aftermath of this week’s torrential rains.
March 13,2017
Ridgewood NJ, All high school students would receive instruction on available State and federal student loans, as well as student loan debt under legislation sponsored by Senator Robert Singer (R-Monmouth, Ocean) and advanced by the Senate Budget Committee.
Sen. Robert Singer’s bill would add instruction on student loans, including how to pay them back, as a high school graduation requirement. (SenateNJ.com)
“No one should rush into signing a contract that could cost them tens of thousands of dollars without fully understanding the repercussions of making such an enormous decision,” Senator Singer said. “High school students statewide are already required to take a financial literacy course in order to graduate. Without a doubt, learning how to get a student loan and more importantly, how to pay it back, is essential to understanding how to manage money in today’s world.”
Sen. Singer’s bill, S-990, would require the State Board of Education to add this instruction as a graduation requirement, beginning with the 2017-2018 graduating class. The instruction, which will fall under the current financial literacy course requirement, must also incorporate issues associated with student loan debt, the requirements for repayment of that debt, and the consequences of the failure to repay it in a timely manner.
Students would also be required to meet with a guidance counselor during their sophomore or junior year to discuss State and federal tuition assistance programs, including grants, scholarships and loans they may be eligible for. The guidance counselor would also cover ways to reduce the cost of higher education, such as options for earning college credit while still in high school.
“We know that the process of applying for a loan is far too complex and that many graduates aren’t getting an education that matches what they paid just to get through the classroom door,” Senator Singer added. “This doesn’t change the fact that it is extremely difficult to become financially independent without a college degree. As we work to achieve greater reform, we must do everything we can to ensure future graduates are prepared to handle this responsibility.”
