NJSBA Addresses Governor's Budget Strategy
TRENTON, February 11, 2010—Marie S. Bilik, the executive director of the New Jersey School Boards Association, today issued the following comments in response to Gov. Chris Christie’s address to the Legislature.
School board members understand the extreme fiscal crisis facing the state, and we understand the governor’s efforts to come to terms with a massive budget shortfall.
Understandably, the state has limited options. Like the state, local school boards must prepare balanced budgets each year. These school budgets must provide children with a thorough and efficient education, stay within state-mandated spending caps, and be prudent enough to safeguard districts from unanticipated emergencies.
It is important to understand the ramifications of requiring districts to spend down their reserve funds. Even though the governor’s decision may not affect school programs immediately, school districts next year will need to set aside new money to rebuild those reserves. And these are funds that they will not be able to direct to the classroom or use to control property taxes in 2010-2011.
The full text of the governor’s address has been posted online.
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The New Jersey School Boards Association, a federation of district boards of education, advocates the interests of school districts, trains local school board members, and provides resources for the advancement of public education.
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