In The News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Statement from Committeeman Jason A. Jones on Withholding of Federal Education Funds

As Committeeman for Neptune Township—and as a longtime advocate for public education—I am deeply concerned about the federal government’s decision to withhold nearly $6.8 billion in legally authorized education funding that was due to be distributed to states and districts on July 1, 2025.

This delay directly impacts Neptune Township Schools and countless others across the country. These funds support programs that are essential to student success, including:

• Services for English-learners and migrant students
• Title I support for economically disadvantaged students
• Professional development for teachers and school leaders
• Summer learning and after-school programs
• Special education and student support services

In Neptune, we are already seeing the ripple effects. Hiring decisions are being delayed. Summer learning opportunities have been scaled back. Our district is being forced to consider how to provide essential services with no guarantee that the promised funding will arrive in time—or at all.

This is not just a bureaucratic delay—it is a disruption to the lives of students, families, and educators who rely on these programs every single day.

A Call to Action

As your Committeeman, I am taking the following steps:

• Working with Neptune’s Board of Education and district leaders to assess the full impact and develop a response plan
• Calling on our state and federal representatives to demand immediate release of the funds
• Advocating for transparency and accountability in how federal education dollars are managed and distributed

We cannot allow partisan gridlock or political games to undermine our children’s futures. Neptune families deserve better. Our students deserve stability. Our educators deserve the resources they were promised.

I urge all residents to stay informed, get involved, and continue to stand with our schools.

Together, we will ensure Neptune remains a place where every child has access to opportunity—and a community that keeps its promises.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Committeeman Jason A. Jones
📧 Jason@jasonajones.com|
🌐 www.JasonJones.com

Committeeman Jason A. Jones Applauds Public-Private Partnership Bringing 70 Modern Homes to Local Families

Neptune Township, NJ — June  13, 2025
The Township of Neptune is taking a bold step forward in affordable housing and sustainable community development with the groundbreaking of a $35 million redevelopment project at 1130 Heck Avenue, known historically as Neptune Court. The project replaces a 60-year-old, 60-unit public housing complex with a modern, energy-efficient 70-unit residential community, designed for families seeking long-term affordable housing in Monmouth County.

“This is what progress looks like,” said Committeeman Jason A. Jones, a long-time advocate for equitable housing and sustainable growth in Neptune. “We’re building not just homes, but hope—investing in our neighborhoods and our future.”

• Location: 1130 Heck Avenue, Neptune Township, NJ
   
• Investment: $35 million mixed-finance initiative
   
• New Units: 70 family-sized affordable apartments (2-4 bedrooms)
   
• Features: Energy-efficient design, modern amenities, and shared community gathering spaces
   

This redevelopment project is part of a broader strategy by Neptune Township to revitalize older public housing and deliver dignified, accessible homes that support multi-generational families and strengthen neighborhoods.

This ambitious project was made possible through a public-private financing structure, carefully coordinated by the Neptune Township Housing Authority (TNHA) with the expert guidance of NW Financial, a leading municipal advisory firm. The funding package includes:

• 4% Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC)
   
• Urban Preservation Fund
   
• New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency (NJHMFA) Programs
   
• TD Bank Construction Loan
   
• Development Partner: The Alpert Group
   

“This collaboration reflects what happens when dedicated public servants and responsible private partners work together,” said Jones. “This is a model for how to build affordable housing in New Jersey—and across the nation.”

Originally built in 1957 and known to many as "Neptune Court," the site was long overdue for modernization. In 2020, TNHA issued a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to select a development partner. By 2022, permits were secured and plans approved to not only replace the outdated buildings but expand to serve more families.

As of May 2025, all necessary building permits have been secured, and construction has officially begun.

🗣️ “I’m proud to stand with our community as we usher in a new chapter at 1130 Heck Avenue. This redevelopment strengthens the foundation of Neptune Township and reflects our shared commitment to equity, dignity, and economic growth,” said Committeeman Jason A. Jones.
 

• Addresses Housing Shortage: Delivers quality housing for working families
   
• Promotes Sustainability: Uses energy-efficient and green building standards
   
• Boosts Local Economy: Generates construction jobs and long-term economic impact
   
• Reinforces Equity: Expands access to affordable, stable housing for underserved residents
   

For ongoing updates about the 1130 Heck Avenue development and other Neptune Township initiatives, visit:

🌐 www.JasonJones.com
📧 Jason@jasonajones.com
📱
🔗 Follow Committeeman Jason A. Jones on Facebook and instagram

Posted on: June 8, 2025
 | Neptune Township Committee
📧 JasonAJonesMBA@gmail.com | 🌐 www.jasonajones.com

NEPTUNE TOWNSHIP, NJ — In a bold move to defend public education and protect local taxpayers, the Neptune Township Committee—led by Committeeman Jason A. Jones—has introduced a resolution urging the New Jersey State Legislature to fix the state’s broken school funding formula and restore over $25 million in lost aid to Neptune Township Public Schools.

Since 2018, cuts in state aid have forced Neptune schools to reduce services and pass the financial burden onto homeowners. For the 2024–25 fiscal year alone, Neptune faced a $6 million shortfall, resulting in an average $536 annual increase in school taxes per household.

Jason A. Jones is no stranger to this fight. With 13 years of service on the Neptune Township Board of Education, including multiple leadership roles, and currently serving on the Township Committee, Jones brings deep experience and credibility to the issue.

“This is personal,” Jones said. “I’ve seen firsthand what these cuts have done—reduced mental health programs, overburdened special education staff, and impossible budget choices. As someone who helped craft school budgets for over a decade, I know this isn’t about mismanagement. It’s about a system that has failed to keep its promises.”
 

Jones emphasized that restoring fair funding is not optional—it’s essential to the future of Neptune’s youth and its long-term economic stability.

“When you underfund schools, you’re not just hurting students—you’re driving out families, lowering property values, and overtaxing working residents. Trenton must act now,” he added.
 

🏠 Average home value: $579,159
💸 State aid cut this year: $6 million
📈 Extra local tax per home (2025): ~$536

Despite these increases, programs like preschool, school-based mental health, and instructional aides have been scaled back—an unsustainable situation that threatens the quality of education and local economic growth.

The resolution calls on the NJ Senate and General Assembly to:

✅ Restore more than $20 million in lost state aid
✅ Revise the school funding formula (SFRA) for predictability and fairness
✅ Reinstate stabilization aid to prevent annual shock cuts
✅ Regularly update cost studies to reflect real-world needs
✅ Protect student services and local staffing levels

“We’re doing our part in Neptune—but we can’t keep filling $6 million holes created by Trenton,” said Jones. “This resolution gives our town a stronger voice and a united front.”
 

Mayor Rob Lane and Committeewoman Tassie York echoed Jones’s call for action. 

“This resolution is a clear message: we’re not accepting the status quo,” said Lane.
 

“It’s time the state stopped balancing its books on the backs of Neptune families,” added York.

This resolution was passed fully by the Neptune Township Committee.
 

🗓 Attend the Township Committee Meetings & Board of Education Meetings
📅 Advocate for
📍 Neptune Municipal Complex, 25 Neptune Blvd, Neptune, NJ 07753

📢 Show your support and stand with Jason A. Jones and the Neptune Township Committee in calling for equity, relief, and accountability.

For ongoing updates on  Neptune Township initiatives, visit:

🌐 www.JasonJones.com
📧 Jason@jasonajones.com

jjones@neptunetownship.org

www.Neptunetownship.org
📱
🔗 Follow Committeeman Jason A. Jones on Facebook and instagram

June 10, 2025

Dear fellow District Leaders, Executive Committee, fellow Township Committee Members, 

I want to extend my deepest gratitude for your unwavering support throughout this primary election season. Your tireless efforts, dedication to our shared values, and commitment to voter engagement made a true difference—not just for the campaign, but for the future of Neptune Township.

We will digest the numbers over the next few days and guide ourselves accordingly. As evident, some did not support, as we discussed tonight, and we will dig down to figure out how to move forward. 

As we look ahead, I want to wish Rob Lane and Tassie York continued strength and success. I am proud to stand with them and the rest of the committee as we begin the second half of service to our community. Together, we will continue to work hard—every day, every week—for the people of Neptune.

Over the next seven months, I promise to double down on the work we’ve started. From public safety and infrastructure to youth programs, to fighting for our fair funding formula to help our tax payers and our school district, economic development, and neighborhood services, we will push forward with integrity, transparency, and results.

And as we move toward March of 2026, I humbly ask for your continued support-- but let's not get ahead of ourselves. The journey to meaningful, lasting progress is not done—and I cannot do it without you. Together, we can keep building a Neptune Township that reflects the pride, power, and potential of every resident.

Special thanks to Leader Houghtaling for 10000% supporting my candidacy. Your backing and words of encouragement will never be forgotten. Committeeman Stroud thanks for your steady hand. Vice Chair Schaffer and President Ava, Chairman Mowczan & Chairwoman Holland thank you for everything. 

You, our democratic leadership of Neptune...gave me the opportunity to serve as a 13 Year Board Member/Board President, and now a committeeman, and because of that I will forever be thankful for you. 

Thank you again for standing with me. Now let's watch the next 7 months, we have some good work to accomplish.  Let’s keep moving forward—stronger, smarter, and more united than ever.

In service,

Jason A. Jones, MBA
Committeeman, Neptune Township

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Statement from Committeeman Jason A. Jones on Withholding of Federal Education Funds

As Committeeman for Neptune Township—and as a longtime advocate for public education—I am deeply concerned about the federal government’s decision to withhold nearly $6.8 billion in legally authorized education funding that was due to be distributed to states and districts on July 1, 2025.

This delay directly impacts Neptune Township Schools and countless others across the country. These funds support programs that are essential to student success, including:

• Services for English-learners and migrant students
• Title I support for economically disadvantaged students
• Professional development for teachers and school leaders
• Summer learning and after-school programs
• Special education and student support services

In Neptune, we are already seeing the ripple effects. Hiring decisions are being delayed. Summer learning opportunities have been scaled back. Our district is being forced to consider how to provide essential services with no guarantee that the promised funding will arrive in time—or at all.

This is not just a bureaucratic delay—it is a disruption to the lives of students, families, and educators who rely on these programs every single day.

A Call to Action

As your Committeeman, I am taking the following steps:

• Working with Neptune’s Board of Education and district leaders to assess the full impact and develop a response plan
• Calling on our state and federal representatives to demand immediate release of the funds
• Advocating for transparency and accountability in how federal education dollars are managed and distributed

We cannot allow partisan gridlock or political games to undermine our children’s futures. Neptune families deserve better. Our students deserve stability. Our educators deserve the resources they were promised.

I urge all residents to stay informed, get involved, and continue to stand with our schools.

Together, we will ensure Neptune remains a place where every child has access to opportunity—and a community that keeps its promises.