Editor’s note, the following commentary was released by the office of Scott Johnson who represents the 33rd Assembly District. Responding to questions by phone, Johnson’s legislative aide Kevin Vesperman said that the priorities will be applied in the 43rd Assembly District would Johnson win his bid for that seat in November.

Rep. Scott Johnson has announced his legislative priorities for next year’s session, focusing on three areas: 1) reforming public school funding, 2) deregulation of public schools, and 3) school bus safety.

• Public school funding reform: Johnson is addressing the challenges with current public school funding, which heavily relies on property taxes and requires school districts to frequently seek voter approval through referendums. His proposal seeks to alleviate this burden by reducing local property taxes while maintaining existing funding levels for schools and indexing the funding formula to inflation. By shifting a portion of school funding to the general fund, Johnson’s approach would lower property taxes, reducing housing costs, and ease the burden on retirees with fixed incomes. The proposal also aims to stabilize school funding by indexing the formula to inflation, reducing the need for districts to request additional funds through referendums to keep pace with rising costs.

• Deregulation of public schools: Over the years, growing mandates on schools have increased administrative costs and diverted resources from the classroom. Johnson advocates for a comprehensive review of these mandates, aiming to eliminate ineffective programs and redundant regulations. By removing unnecessary mandates, his plan would reduce administrative expenses, empower teachers to focus on teaching, and reduce the long term need for funding increases through property tax referendums.

• School bus safety: School bus safety remains a top priority. Johnson will introduce a pilot program for installing to equip school bus cameras to monitor and enforce laws against illegal passing. The measure seeks enhance student safety by improving compliance and accountability on the road.

Representative Johnson’s legislative agenda is rooted in creating sustainable, community- focused solutions that balance educational needs with economic responsibility.