TRENTON, N.J. — A political group funded through the New Jersey Education Association’s political network spent nearly $40 million in 2025 backing then-NJEA President Sean Spiller’s run for governor.
He finished fifth in the Democratic primary.
A new report from Americans for Fair Treatment examines the scale of NJEA’s finances and political operation, including $39.7 million in spending by Working New Jersey, an independent expenditure committee funded by Garden State Forward, NJEA’s super PAC. The report also details a union with $237.3 million in net assets, a $170.1 million securities portfolio and tens of millions spent annually on its own workforce.
“Nearly $40 million to help the union president become governor — and he finished fifth,” said Chip Rogers, CEO of Americans for Fair Treatment. “New Jersey educators deserve to know how an operation funded by their union became a political machine of this size, and whether those priorities reflect the people paying the bills.”
The New Jersey installment of AFFT’s “Where Do Your Union Dues Go?” project examines NJEA tax filings and state campaign-finance records.
Among the findings:
- $39.7 million in 2025 political spending. Working New Jersey spent $39.7 million during Spiller’s gubernatorial run. The committee was funded by Garden State Forward, NJEA’s super PAC.
- $65.6 million for NJEA’s own workforce. Salaries, officer compensation, pension contributions, employee benefits and payroll taxes accounted for 46.2% of NJEA’s $142.1 million in FY 2024 spending.
- $237.3 million in net assets. NJEA ended FY 2024 with $270.6 million in total assets and $237.3 million in net assets, including a $170.1 million investment portfolio.
- Nearly $872,000 in reported executive compensation. NJEA’s FY 2024 filing reports $871,987 in total compensation for Executive Director Kevin Kelleher. At least 13 officers and staff received more than $350,000.
- $18.5 million more in revenue than expenses. NJEA reported $160.6 million in revenue and $142.1 million in expenses in FY 2024, including $143.8 million in dues and service revenue.
NJEA’s political reach extends beyond the 2025 gubernatorial race. AFFT’s report identifies $51.1 million in combined disbursements from Garden State Forward and Working New Jersey from 2023 through 2025, in addition to approximately $1 million in reported New Jersey lobbying expenditures from 2022 through 2024.
In September 2025, two New Jersey teachers sued NJEA and Spiller, alleging that the use of union resources to support his gubernatorial campaign breached contractual and fiduciary obligations.
“Teachers join a union to have a voice in the workplace, not to bankroll political ambitions they may not share,”Rogers said. “They deserve transparency, accountability and the freedom to decide whether membership is worth the cost.”
Financial totals cover September 1, 2023, through August 31, 2024. Individual compensation figures are reported in NJEA’s FY 2024 filing. Political spending highlighted here covers 2023 through 2025.
Public employees seeking information about union membership, dues deductions and workplace rights can visit AFFT.org or call 833-969-FAIR (3247).