Law Center Presses for Construction Funding

Law Center Presses for Construction Funding

The Education Law Center has filed suit in the New Jersey Supreme Court seeking state construction money for previously approved projects in Abbott school districts that were halted after the state’s $8.6 billion school building fund dried up.

The law center claims that the state is in clear violation of the court’s previous mandate requiring the state to fully fund new school construction in New Jersey’s 31 poorest communities (the Abbott districts). It is seeking immediate judicial action to remedy the violation.

Safety Concerns According to the suit, several school districts must use dilapidated buildings including those with non-functioning fire alarms, broken boilers, crumbling facades and leaking roofs. One district was forced to spend more than $1 million for emergency repairs when a ceiling in its elementary school collapsed.

The complaint asserts that Abbott districts are in a “Catch-22” because the New Jersey State Department of Education has required them to eliminate their capital budgets and to seek funding for projects through the New Jersey Schools Construction Corporation. However, the SCC is unable to provide the support because of the depletion of the state school construction fund.

Delays Have Costs In addition, project delays have resulted in increased costs. SCC head Scott A. Weiner said delays due to lack of funding can increase costs between 7 percent and 10 percent annually.

Replenishment of the state’s school construction fund was recommended by the governor’s Interagency Working Group on School Construction last year.