P.O. Box 909 ● Trenton, NJ 08605-0909 ● Phone: 609.695.7600 ● Fax: 609.695.0413 ● Web: www.njsba.org/PI

NJSBA Commends Governor, Legislators for School-Construction Bill

TRENTON, July 9, 2008 — The New Jersey School Boards Association today thanked the Governor and Legislature for enacting A-2873, the $3.9 billion school-construction bill. The bill was signed into law today by Gov. Jon Corzine.

“State lawmakers should be commended for taking care of unfinished business: Fulfilling the construction needs of scores of schools throughout the state,” said Marie S. Bilik, NJSBA’s executive director.

“Everyone knew that providing safe and secure school facilities would be a massive undertaking,” she said. “Although the state funding that was approved in 2000 dried up three years ago, the need for new and refurbished schools has not diminished.”

The legislation allocates $3.9 billion for school construction. Of that amount, $2.9 billion is directed to the 31 special-needs districts, which are called “SDA districts” in the law because the state’s Schools Development Authority will oversee construction. The other $1 billion is directed to all other schools ($50 million of which is earmarked for county vocational schools). 

“This is also property tax relief,” Bilik said of the state funding. “The funding alleviates the property tax burden on homeowners and businesses throughout the state. The non-SDA districts, in particular, will now be able to borrow smaller amounts of funding because part of the construction project is covered through up-front cash grants from the state—which reduces the interest costs paid for through property taxes.”

Bilik added, “State officials are to be commended for making schoolchildren and taxpayers a priority—even in difficult times.”

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.