A Parent Call to Action for Amending S-1701

 

As many of you know, New Jersey public schools are facing a crisis that will negatively impact the education our children receive.  S-1701 is a bill that was passed last June in the attempt to lower property taxes.  The result of this shortsighted attempt is that our schools are being harmed with barely any relief from our property taxes.  Any part of our school budgets that are not specifically state mandated are in jeopardy as we go into each new year with a growing perfect storm of budget factors: increasing cost drivers beyond local school district control, such as health insurance, combined with the imposed S-1701 inflexible “caps” on school budgets that do not allow for any appeal process.  For example, after-school sports, school librarians, art, music, pre-school programs, clubs, full day kindergarten are all at risk because of the restrictive and inflexible 1701.  Class sizes will also increase because there will not be funds to add faculty.

 

Parents are becoming more informed as to the impact this bill will have on our children’s education, and we are becoming increasingly irate.  We have asked for direction as to what to do in order to let Trenton know this must be amended.  There is currently a movement being organized by the Garden State Parent Network to Amend 1701 to “water torture” some key legislators by calling, emailing and writing them insisting that they amend this absurd bill.  This summer we ask that you please participate in this movement and put the attached information by your phone.  Whenever you think of the misguided, political goings-on in Trenton, and the apparent lack of concern for quality public education in New Jersey please call one of them, fax them, email them or write them a letter.  Tell them you are extremely unhappy and if they are not making changes to this bill, you will vote for someone who will protect your children’s education.

 

Also, there will be an Assembly election in November.  Call your existing Assemblyman and inquire as to their opinion of S-1701.  If they have no comment or do not express a desire to amend it, find out who is running against them and call their office.  This issue requires that we all participate. 

 

You will be receiving more information in September regarding a Rally in Trenton.  This Rally will be organized for the later Fall.  Please discuss this important issue with your friends, Google under S-1701, read the papers and become as informed as possible. 

 

 

Have a great summer and let’s get the word out!

 

Thank you,

 

Kimberly Newsome

Regional Parent Representative

Garden State Parent Network to Amend 1701

 

gspn call to action p. 2                            How to Start (what to do):

In order of effectiveness:

 

·                    calls

·                    letters

·                    faxes

·                    emails

 

What to say:

 

When you get through to the office, ask to speak with the legislator.  They might not be available, in which case you may speak with an aide.  Don’t worry, the information you leave with the aide will be forwarded to the legislator. 

 

The following will help you start the conversation:

 

“We need you to change the bad policies in S-1701 that will harm the quality of our children’s public education.”

 

“What are you doing or planning to do to fix this problem?”

 

Please take notes and feel free to say that if the legislator’s office is not working on amending 1701, than you will have to vote for someone who will. Please feedback to us at website ‘www.gscschools.org’.

 

Names and Information for Targeted Legislators:

The Honorable Richard Codey, Acting Governor, State of New Jersey

PO Box 001

Trenton, NJ08625

609 777 2500; fax 609 292 3454

(The Acting Governor is also the Senate President: sencodey@njleg.org

District Office:  449 Mount Pleasant Avenue, West Orange, NJ 07052  (973)-731-6770)

 

U.S. Senator Jon S. Corzine                                    Republican Candidate Doug Forrester

Campaign Address                                                                              Forrester for Governor

One Riverfront Plaza                                                                          29 Emmons Drive C-10

PO Box 200419                                                                                  Princeton, NJ 08540

Newark, NJ   07102                                                                            (609) 452-0101

(973) 643-0500 fax (973) 643-6468                                                   Fax: (609) 452-0008

(732)729-9820  info@votecorzine.org                                             info@doug2005.com

 

Senator Wayne R. Bryant, Democrat

SPONSOR S1701

501 Cooper St, Camden, NJ 08102 

(856)-757-0552  

E-Mail: senbryant@njleg.org

 

Assemblyman Joseph Cryan, Democrat

SPONSOR A99 (S1701 companion bill)

985 Stuyvesant Ave.

Union, NJ 07083

 (908) 624-0880  E-Mail: asmcryan@njleg.org

 

gspn call to action p.3

Additional Key Legislators

 

Senator Bernard F. Kenny, Democrat
District Office:  235 Hudson Street, Suite 1,  Hoboken, NJ 07030  

(201)-653-1466

E - Mail: senkenny@njleg.org

 

Assemblyman Joseph J. Roberts, Democrat
District Office:  Brooklawn Shopping Plaza,

Rt. 130 South & Browning Rd., Brooklawn, NJ 08030  (856)-742-7600

E - Mail: asmroberts@njleg.org

 

Senator Leonard Lance, Republican
District Office:  119 Main Street, Flemington, NJ 08822 

 (908)-788-6900 E-Mail: senlance@njleg.org

 

 

Assemblyman Alex DeCroce, Republican
District Office:  101 Gibraltar Dr., Suite 1-A,  Morris Plains, NJ 07950   (973)-984-0922

E-Mail: asmdecroce@njleg.org  

 

Assemblywoman Bonnie Watson Coleman, Democrat

District Office: 226 West State Street, Trenton. N.J. 08608 609 292 0500

E -mail:  aswwatsoncoleman@njleg.org

 

Assemblyman Louis D. Greenwald, Democrat

 District Office:  10 Foster Ave., Suite B-3, Gibbsboro, NJ 08026  

(856)-783-0444

E - Mail: asmgreenwald@njleg.org