Quality Public Education for All New Jersey Students

 

 
     1-12-10 Moving on...'Budget plan a wrinkle for districts'
     1-11-10 Transition News
     1-5-10 GSCS: Update on January 4 Lame Duck Session
     1-6-10 Race to the Top Plans on the move, not without conflict
     12-27-09 'New Jersey competes for education reform stimulus money' (aka 'Race to the Top' funds)
     12-23-09 Gannett article provides details on Gov. Corzine's proposal to use additional surplus in place of state aid
     12-23-09 GSCS: Governor Corzine targets excess school surplus to replace state aid payments starting in Feb '10 - lame duck legislation anticipated
     10-20-09 REMINDER: Commissioner Davy to be at 10-28 GSCS meeting in Atlantic City
     9-13-09 As an issue for N.J.(Gubernatorial election), schools are in'
     7-22-09 'State gives extra aid for schools an extraordinary boost'
     6-19-09 a.m. GSCS 'Quick' FYI - State Budget Vote delayed to Thursday, June 25
     6-16-09 News from Trenton on State Budget in Senate and Assembly Budget Committees yesterday
     APPROPRIATIONS ACT FY2009-1020 as introduced
     A4100-S2010 Appropriations Act 'Scoresheet' and Language Changes released
     6-10-09 Education Week on Abbott Decision
     6-9-09 COMMENTARY on Supreme Court Abbott school funding decisio
     5-27-09 GSCS 18th ANNUAL MEETING - All INVITED GUESTS HAVE CONFIRMED, INCLUDING GOVERNOR CORZINE
     5-19-09 Treasurer David Rousseau announces additional round of cuts to Gov's proposed State Budget FY2009-2010
     4-5-09 The Record, Sunday April 5, Front Page Opinion
     3-29-09 Record Editorial on Judge Doyne recommendations
     3-16-09 EMAILNET
     3-11-09 CORZINE BUDGET ADDRESS: STATE FUNDING FOR SCHOOLS A LITTLE MORE NOT LESS - FEDERAL TITLE 1 & IDEA INCREASES YET TO BE COUNTED - STATE SCHOOL AID FIGURES ON DEPT OF ED WEBSITE 1:30 TODAY - RELATED ARTICLES, MORE...
     3-10-09 GOVERNOR TO DELIVER STATE BUDGET MESSAGE TODAY - SCHOOL AID FIGURES TO BE RELEASED BY THURSDAY LATEST
     2-24-09 State Budget & Stimulus News of Note
     2-19-09 Federal stimulus - information re: Education funding in 'State Fiscal Stabilization' part of the package
     1-16-09 Today's news notes state budget waiting on Obama stimulus package
     1-11-09 'Corzine State of State speech to put economy front & center'
     12-28-08 NY Times 'Pension Fight Signals What Lies Ahead'
     12-29-08 NJ to new leaders - Fund our schools
     12-23-08 Governor faces hard choices in the New Year
     12-21-08 GSCS EMAILNET - Excerpts
     11-18-08 Ledger Online & 11-19 Star Ledger headline news
     11-18-08 Supreme Court decides in favor of Abbott districts re new school funding law
     11-5-08 Gov. Corzine U.S. Treasury Secretary?
     11-5-08 Governor Corzine candidate for Secretary of U.S. Treasury per Ledger report
     Conversation with the Commissioner in Atlantic City
     Education Commissioner Lucille Davy at GSCS Open Mtg 10-29 in A.C.
     9-24-08 Supreme Court hearing on constitutionality of School Funding Reform Act
     8-29-08 'Newly hired teachers benefit from Corzine delay'
     12-3-07 As details become clearer on the new funding plan, GSCS will report on its emerging position
     11-20-07 RELEASE OF NEW SCHOOL FUNDING FORMULA LIKELY TO BE DELAYED UNTIL AFTER THE THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY
     11-16-07 Governor Corzine's remarks on school funding to League of Municipalities
     11-8-07 Governor & Legislative leadership agree to take up - and pass - funding formula in Lame Duck
     10-23 Media reports & Trenton responses to date re GSCS Press Conf
     9-29-07 The New York Times - Patience with Corzine Wears Thin
     10-10-07 Key Questions for Legislative Candidates
     10-12-07 Coach Corzine's tactic to win the game? Punt
     In the news - Corzine on school aid formula & good news for urban schools
     9-13-07Corzine adds school aid to the lame-duck agenda
     8-10-07 'Standing 'O' greets Corzine as he hosts town hall mtg'
     8-1-07 'Paterson isn't ready to gain control' & 7-29 'The Numbers still don't add up'
     4-4-07 News articles, editorial & Op-Ed on bill signings for A1 and A4
     3-25-07 New York Times on NJ Comparative Spending Guide, more on Gov putting off signing A1, Tax Caps & Rebate bill
     3-22-07 THINGS CHANGE...Governor Corzine delays A1 becoming law
     3-21-07 The Tax Cap-Credit bill, A1, can become law by Friday without Governor's signature
     3-1-07 Emerging Devil showing up in the details
     2-23-07 News Articles re Gov's Budget Proposal
     2-22-07 GSCS EMAILNET re Gov's Budget Message
     2-22-07 Governor Corzine's Budget Message today
     2-16 to 2-19 New Articles of Note
     2-14-07 GSCS letter to Gov Corzine & Commr of Education Davy - Request for State Aid FY0708
     2-12-07 State School Aid - needed to offset property taxes now
     2-9-07 GSCS EMAILNET MEMBER FYI on Trenton legislation Action
     2-8-07 News artiles-editorial re Gov's annoucnement that there will not be a new school funding formula for FY0708
     2-7-07 School funding, school audits - need for new formula underscored
     2-6-07 Trenton Update - S19 Super Supt passes Senate; Tax Cap bill stalled; No funding formula in FY0708
     2-1-07 Turnpike for sale, Gov - need funding formula, more
     1-30-07 'Is Property Tax Plan Legal?'
     1-30-07 Tax Caps bill, A1, passes Assembly late last night
     1-25-07 GSCS: No School Aid = No Real Tax Relief...again
     1-24-07 Quinnipiac Poll & School Construction woes for Corzine
     1-21-07 Gannett article on 'property tax credit, annual cap vote due'
     Trenton Update Jan 9-Jan 15, Gov's State of the State, more
     1-8-07 Articles & Editorial talk about 'missing pieces' of tax reform proposal and note consequences
     1-7-06 GSCS & HARD CAPS & IMPORTANT PIECES OF THE PUZZLE STILL MISSING
     GSCS RESOLUTION FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS 2007
     1-5-07 Small-town officials protest consolidation
     1-2-07 GSCS New Year's Resolution
     12-19-06 Feedback - articles on school funding hearings yesterday
     12-18-06 Sunday editorials - take of Property Tax session
     12-15-06 EMAILNET Bills Held!
     12-11-06 Trenton is in disarray - read news clip
     12-8 & 12-9 News clips on Trenton machinations...
     11-19-06 Sunday Press Articles & Commentaries
     11-16-06 Governor Corzine's speech on Property Tax Address to League of Municipalities
     11-10-06 NJ education chief vows urban support
     11-11-06 EMAILNET Special Session Legislative Committees report Nov. 14 or 15
     11-9-06 Public hearing on school consolidation tonight, 7 pm, at Freehold Borough Chambers, 51 Main St
     11-9-06 Public hearing on school consolidation tonight, 7 pm, in Freehold
     11-6-06 The need for special education funding to stay as a 'categorical' aid based on each students disability is real
     11-4-06 Senate President & Assembly Speaker 'no new taxes'
     10-25-06 Details on Corzine Administration's new funding formula starting to emerge
     10-5-06 EMAILNET
     10-5-06 Conversation on school funding, consolidation continues
     School Construction: Third Report to Governor by Interagency Working Group
     9-15-06 Star Ledger & AP - 3.25B suggested for school construction
     9-15-06 Star Ledger - 3.25B suggested for school construction
     August 2006 on - GSCS NOTEBOARD ON SPECIAL SESSION Committee meetings
     7-29-06 School Funding formula draws mixed reactions
     7-28-06 Gov to legislature: make history, cut taxes
     7-27-06 Trenton begins its move to address property taxes
     7-16-06 Lead economists address NJ's economy downswing
     7-12-06 Column on State Budget legislator items
     7-14-06 EMAILNET
     7-12-06 It's Official - Governor appoints Lucille Davy as Education Commissioner
     7-11-06 Talk of Special Session on Property Tax Reform
     7-9&10-06 State Budget news articles -wrap up & news analyses
     7-9-06 Sunday New York Times
     7-8-06 FY07 Budget approved - 19.5 in spec ed grants stays in
     7-7-06 EMAILNET - AGREEMENT ON STATE BUDGET REACHED, impt 'details' still being finalized
     7-7-06 AGREEMENT ON STAE BUDGET REACHED, impt 'details' still being finalized
     7-3-06 Roberts, Codey & Corzine still not on same page
     6-30-06 State Budget news - as the dissonance must be resolved
     6-29-06 Mirroring the elements, State Budget looking like a 'natural disaster'
     6-15-06 Star Ledger, Gannet articles- Abbott advocates demand school reform at educ. dept
     6-12-06 EMAILNET - Extraordinary Special Education student aid; FY07 Budget 'crunch' is on; news clips
     6-6-06 Legislative Leaders announce initial plans for property tax reform
     5-16-06 EMAILNET Action in Trenton
     5-10-06 A Lot is going on - Major News fromTrenton
     Gubernatorial Candidates' Education Plans announced September 05
     Governor Corzine takes steps towards major policy initiatives.
     4-8-07 Corzine Administration files brief with Supreme Court re Abbott funding
     4-7-07 The Record
     3-29-06 EMAILNET State Budget FY07 Hearings Update
     3-28-06 GSCS testimony before Assembly Budget Comm today
     3-24-06 EMAILNET FYI Update on Gov Corzine's Budget FY07
     3-23-06 Corzine says some Abbotts can raise taxes
     3-16-06 Gannett Press: Corzine wants to raise taxes, slash $2B
     Governor's Budget message 1 pm 3-21-06
     3-15-06 News articles on FY07
     3-10-06 Star Ledger 'Time is ripe for poorer districts to contribute.
     3-9-06 Governor speaks to S1701 at town meeting
     3-7-06 More articles on the Gov's Budget Summit and School Board members fo to Trenton
     3-7-06 Articles on Gov's Budget Summit and School Board members off to Trenton
     12-14-05 Asbury ParkPress Editorial 'Re-assess the ABC's of School Funding' notes the Governor's role is critical in making positive change occur
     Gubernatorial, Assembly District by District, County and Municipal voting breakdowns-results & formats for November 8 elections
     2-2-06 GSCS HEADS UP re probable delay of Governor's Budget Message
     Governor Corzine's Transition Team Reports
     1-19-06 EMAILNET Quick Facts, On the Homepage Today
     1-19-06 News Articles Trenton Times, The Record, Star Ledger
     1-18-06 Star Ledger
     Governor Corzine- Inaugural Address
     1-15-06 The Record 2 Sunday Articles anticipating top issues confronting the Corzine administration
     1-11-06 Star Ledger - Corzine Casts Wide Net for Cabinet
     12-14-05 Asbury ParkPress Editorial 'Re-assess the ABC's of School Funding'
     12-5-05 Governor-elect Corzine selects policy advisory groups
     11-20-05 Sunday Star Ledger 'Corzine's risky promise to taxpayers
     11-11-05 Trenton Times Corzine puts property taxes at the top of his agenda
     11-9-05 The Record - Governor Elect can't claim a mandate
     November 9 The Trenton Times - Corzine Triumphs
     9-9-05 Trenton Times,Corzine Education Agenda
2-6-07 Trenton Update - S19 Super Supt passes Senate; Tax Cap bill stalled; No funding formula in FY0708
S19, as amended to keep school board member election vote in April, passed in the Senate and now goes back to the Assembly for final vote... 'Corzine throws in towel on formula for school funds Says state out of time this year'

"...For lobbyists and others monitoring the Legislature's efforts to revamp the state's school funding and local tax systems, the inability to devise a new school aid formula was seen as a major failure. "Without a school funding formula, the entire idea of property tax relief and reform goes down the drain," said Lynne Strickland, lobbyist for the Garden State Coalition of Schools. "This is a big hole in the puzzle..."

'Senate to take up tax relief again' A $2 billion property tax relief proposal for homeowners stalled in the state Senate last night, joining a host of measures that have failed in a special legislative session many lawmakers are now openly branding a failure.

'Property tax credit stalls in Trenton Codey says Senate will try again today [2-6-07]'

 

Corzine throws in towel on formula for school funds

Says state out of time this year

Tuesday, February 06, 2007

BY DUNSTAN McNICHOL

Star-Ledger Staff

Gov. Jon Corzine told lawmakers yesterday he has officially given up plans to craft a new formula for distributing $7 billion in state public school aid in time for use in school budgets for the upcoming year.

Corzine said the state had run out of time for reworking the formula for funding schools this year, although he pledged to increase state aid to school districts.

"I do believe we are going to have to increase funding for schools this year," Corzine said. But the governor added that any new formula "needs to work for our kids. I would rather work to make sure that we have an appropriate funding formula, rather than one sooner."

Sen. Robert Martin (R-Morris), one of about a half-dozen key lawmakers brought to Corzine's office yesterday for briefings on the school funding plans, said: "This year will be a bridge year. It's not clear how much additional money will be available."

At the beginning of their special session to revamp local property taxes last summer, lawmakers promised a new school aid formula that would have boosted state aid to public schools by almost $1 billion. Recently, however, prospects of that level of new aid dimmed as lawmakers have pursued a $2.2 billion property tax credit program.

Sen. Joseph Doria (D-Hudson), who also attended one of yesterday's briefings, said he was disappointed that the seven-month effort to rewrite a school funding formula has fallen short.

Lawmakers who set up four special committees to address property taxes dedicated one of the panels to school funding. School taxes account for 55 percent of the state's $20.1 billion property tax tab. Originally the panel hoped to deliver a new school aid distribution formula by the end of last year.

Without a new aid formula, Corzine told lawmakers, additional funding for schools will be targeted to communities that have been shortchanged by five years of flat funding. The governor also told legislators he is still committed to providing millions of dollars in additional aid to expand kindergarten and preschool programs in poor communities, Martin said. Corzine will present his proposed budget Feb. 22.

For lobbyists and others monitoring the Legislature's efforts to revamp the state's school funding and local tax systems, the inability to devise a new school aid formula was seen as a major failure.

"Without a school funding formula, the entire idea of property tax relief and reform goes down the drain," said Lynne Strickland, lobbyist for the Garden State Coalition of Schools. "This is a big hole in the puzzle."

Assembly Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Mercer) said the delay could help the Legislature devise a better formula.

"By no means does this delay signal an abandonment of the goal of enacting a formula that treats all schools and schoolchildren equally," she said.

Staff writer Deborah Howlett contributed to this report.


 

 

Senate to take up tax relief again
A $2 billion property tax relief proposal for homeowners stalled in the state Senate last night, joining a host of measures that have failed in a special legislative session many lawmakers are now openly branding a failure.

Senate President Richard Codey (D-Essex) said the Senate would reconvene at "
11:30 sharp" today - to make another run at passing the bill (S20) that would offer most homeowners a credit against portions of the property tax bills this fall while attempting to impose a 4 percent limit on the future growth of local taxes.

“I’m not going to stop trying,” Codey said after pulling the plug on last night's stalemate. “Hopefully sometime soon we’ll get 21 votes and the people of New Jersey will get property tax relief.”

"The people deserve better than this,” said Sen. Nia Gill (D-Essex), one of three Democrats who voted against the property tax relief program, letting it languish three votes short of passage for more than two hours before lawmakers gave up for the night at 11 p.m.

Three Democrats - Gill, Sen. John Adler (D-Camden) and Sen. Shirley Turner (D-Mercer) cast votes against the tax relief bill last night. A fourth, Sen. Wayne Bryant (D-Camden) declined to cast a vote on the measure, saying he was holding out for an amendment to the measure.

Contributed by Dunstan McNichol and Deborah Howlett

 

 

 

Property tax credit stalls in Trenton

Codey says Senate will try again today

Tuesday, February 06, 2007

BY DUNSTAN McNICHOL AND DEBORAH HOWLETT

Star-Ledger Staff

A proposal to offer homeowners $2 billion in property tax relief stalled in the state Senate yesterday, the latest stumble in a special legislative session many lawmakers are now openly branding a failure.

"The people deserve better than this," said Sen. Nia Gill (D-Essex), one of three Democrats who voted against the measure, leaving it to languish short of the votes needed for passage for more than two hours before lawmakers gave up for the night at 11 p.m.

Senate President Richard Codey (D-Essex) said the Senate would reconvene this morning at "11:30 sharp" to make another run at passing the bill (S20) that would offer most homeowners a credit against portions of the property tax bills this fall and attempt to impose a 4 percent limit on the future growth of local taxes.

Codey said he'll call the Senate back daily until the measure is approved.

"I'm not going to stop trying," Codey said after pulling the plug on last night's stalemate. "Hopefully, sometime soon we'll get 21 votes and the people of New Jersey will get property tax relief."

The Senate did pass one reform bill (S17) that prohibits future elected officials from collecting public pensions -- but amended it to strip out provisions that would have barred elected officials from holding more than one office at a time, starting in February 2008. The changes mean it must return to the Assembly for review.

In place of the provisions deleted from that bill, the Senate amended a separate bill (S18) to immediately ban dual office-holding for all newly elected officials. That amended measure, however, was not presented for a full Senate vote yesterday.

Assembly Democrats said the last-minute changes are designed to discourage challengers from taking on Senate incumbents, and could doom the reform effort in the Assembly.

"The Senate's poison-pill amendment is all about incumbency protection," said Assemblyman Reed Gusciora (D-Mercer). He predicted the result would be the demise of the bill "as the measure ends up in a game of legislative Ping-Pong between the Senate and Assembly."

A bill designed to set up new county school superintendents with the power to veto local school budgets and force votes on school district mergers (A4) also is headed back to the Assembly after it was amended by the Senate. The Senate removed provisions that would have moved school board and fire districts elections to November.

The day's Senate-floor drama was the latest setback for a reform effort that critics have said is falling far short of the radical changes homeowners need to head off unaffordable increases in local tax bills.

When the $2 billion relief program was put up for final passage at about 9 p.m., the tally board lit up with 18 votes in favor and 7 opposed -- and stayed that way for two hours.

Three Democrats -- Gill, Sen. John Adler (D-Camden) and Sen. Shirley Turner (D-Mercer) -- voted no, along with four Republicans. A fourth Democrat, Sen. Wayne Bryant (D-Camden), declined to vote, saying he was holding out for an amendment.

For the two-plus hours the board was open, senators milled about the chamber trading war stories and telling jokes, in an almost cocktail party atmosphere.

Sen. Sharpe James (D-Essex) munched on pizza, while several members of the governor's staff nibbled on popcorn they brought over from the theater-style popper in the governor's private office.

Earlier yesterday, a first attempt to approve the credits-and-cap bill was abandoned after Adler and Gill spoke out against it.

"It's not just not good enough, it will be harmful," Adler said as he led off about an hour of public criticism of the bill. "I think we should step back, take a breath and ask for a do-over."

Gill denounced the tax credit plan as unaffordable and ineffectual. "The people deserve real reform, not rebates and gimmicks."

Meanwhile, lobbyists for police unions argued that language in the tax-cap portion of the bill would unfairly require arbitrators in contract disputes to consider the 4 percent limit when deciding on labor contracts for municipal workers.

The Assembly approved the credits-and-cap bill 71-8 a week ago, but any Senate changes would require a second vote.

Yesterday's setbacks fueled criticism from some lawmakers that their special session to reform property taxes has been a failure.

"We've hoodwinked the public with what I call press release reform," said Sen. Joseph Kyrillos (R-Monmouth).

Gill and several Republicans said lawmakers should now call for a constitutional convention to let citizens try their hand at reform.

"It seems the only reasonable way to advance tax reform is to turn it over to the people at a constitutional convention," said Gill, who had earlier opposed such a measure.

Gov. Jon Corzine said earlier yesterday he was generally satisfied with the Legislature's effort at tax reform, saying it met his two bottom-line requirements -- an independent comptroller to watch over budgets and a strict limit on tax levies -- even if it fell short of the mark elsewhere.

"You could always identify a better product," Corzine said. "And, by the way, that product is not yet complete."

The tax credit program was seen as the most politically popular element of the tax reform plan. It would offer credits ranging from 10 to 20 percent of a homeowner's local tax bill for those earning up to $250,000 a year. It also would double, to $252 million, the state funding available to help tenants offset the property tax costs passed on to them in rent.

The new plan also imposes a 4 percent cap on the rate at which local governments and school boards can increase their property tax levies each year. Extra spending beyond 4 percent would be allowed for increasing school enrollment, exceptional hikes in health insurance premiums and scheduled increases in public employee pensions costs for the next two years. It also would let local officials seek state approval to exceed the cap for certain other costs, and if denied, seek voter approval. A ballot measure would have to pass with 60 percent of the vote.

Critics said the program would be unaffordable over the long term, and would force the state to consider selling off assets like the Turnpike or Lottery to bankroll it after this year.

In addition, they contended the caps had so many exceptions, they would not prove effective at reining in the growth of local tax bills.

Dunstan McNichol may be reached at dmcnichol@starledger.com or (609) 989-0341. Deborah Howlett may be reached at dhowlett@starledger.com or (609) 989-0273.