Gubernatorial candidates seek to address state issues

After the election this upcoming Tuesday, either Democratic candidate Phil Murphy or Republican candidate Kim Guadagno will be replacing Chris Christie as governor of New Jersey.
With the election right around the corner, let’s take a look at the issues each candidates is focusing on:
Issue No. 1: Education
Murphy: As a way to improve education in New Jersey, Murphy plans on expanding free pre-K to all families, replacing the PARCC testing with a shorter and more efficient test while implementing a new STEM curriculum, and increasing aid to colleges as a way to decrease tuition fees.
Guadagno: Guadagno wants to improve New Jersey’s educational system by increasing merit pay for teachers and making college more affordable for students.
Issue No. 2: Battling addiction
Murphy: Murphy wants to focus his efforts on supporting victims of drug abuse. He plans to make treatment far easier to access and more affordable, as well as funding an opioid public awareness campaign.
Guadagno: To battle the growing opioid epidemic, Guadagno plans to lead a regional coalition and ensure that everyone who is affected can easily get the help they need. She wants to improve the state program that tracks the prescription and dispensing of controlled substances.
Issue No. 3: Housing
Murphy: In order to make housing more affordable for current and potential New Jersey residents, Murphy wants to lower property taxes. He plans to put his efforts into restoring rebates to citizens and he aims to increase school funding. In addition, if Murphy is elected, he wants to expand tax credits and make foreclosed houses more affordable.
Guadagno: Guadagno plans on cutting property taxes. In order to do this, she plans to lower the cost of health care (which could save New Jersey more than $2 billion and allow the reduction of property taxes). If elected, she will also rework the state’s funding formula for schools (which could provide long-term property tax relief for homeowners).