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April 9, 2008 • Vol. XXXI • No. 33
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Page| Gov. Corzine Meets with School Boards | |||||
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In a meeting with NJSBA leadership on Saturday, Gov. Jon Corzine said he could consider eliminating public votes on school budgets that are under cap. Other changes advocated by school boards—such as eliminating the 60-percent approval needed for school boards’ second ballot questions—did not generate his enthusiasm, however. The governor’s visit with NJSBA key leadership and advocacy groups took place at Crossroads South Middle School, South Brunswick. The program, “A Conversation with Gov. Corzine,” provided members access in a setting where they could hear the governor speak candidly on numerous educational issues, and take part in a question-and-answer period. Approximately 80 members of the Board of Directors, County Association Leadership, Legislative Committee and EAGLE grassroots advocacy program attended the event. When asked about doing away with the school budget elections, Gov. Corzine said, “I am sympathetic with the idea, once someone stays within cap.” But other issues failed to generate the governor’s support. Charles V. Reilly of Ridgewood, former president of the NJSBA, suggested that the state is “going too far” and impinging upon the ability of boards to improve education—giving as an example the 60-percent voter approval that is now needed for second questions. “I think that asking for a strong plurality is not out of the question. It’s like overriding a veto,” the governor responded, adding that education “is the number-one priority, but we have to be disciplined in how we provide that.” “We’re really trying to balance out, across the state and across municipalities, how we’re funded. You have to think about municipal aid and school aid in combination,” Gov. Corzine said. He gave South Brunswick as an example, where municipal aid was cut by $420,000 but state funding to the school district went up by approximately $4 million. “What we’re trying to do is set our priorities,” he said. “We need the help of school boards to make sure that message is sent.” The governor noted that school funding was one of the few areas increased by his proposed state budget. “The point is, we are making an investment … in defining the future of New Jersey, and that is education. We have to continue that,” he said. “That actually has some challenges in tough budget times.” Gov. Corzine stressed the need to stabilize education spending. “When we turn our backs on what things cost, we undermine our ability to maintain a quality education,” he said. “If we don’t, we get a revolt.”
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