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GARDEN STATE COALITION OF SCHOOLS/GSCS
EMAILNET 10-26-04
Dr. Walter Mahler, President Lynne Strickland, Executive Directo
Betsy Ginsburg, Parent Network Representative/GSPN
Phone 609 394 2828 Fax 609 396 7620 Website ‘gscschools.org’ email ‘gscs@ebnet.org’
GSCS Quick Facts: Please email/fax GSCS EMAILNETS to your school community. Thanks.
Next Board of Trustees Meeting: November 10, 4 p.m., East Brunswick Bd. of Educ. [723 613 6705]….
Member Input Sought: Please submit your suggestions ASAP – re: Providing ways for schools districts to control costs - ‘Tools for Schools’ - to ‘gscs@ebnet.org’.Thank you.
GSCS has been invited to testify before the Property Tax Convention Task Force this Friday.
GSCS Member Advocacy:
HARD WORK BEGINNING TO PAY OFF
RE: 1701:
2 BILLS INTRODUCED YESTERDAY to AMEND S1701
While a number of S1701 issues remain, GSCS is encouraged that legislators are starting to listen to concerns we have been expressing since last spring, when the Governor first announced his tax package plan (EMAILNET 5-7-04 attached).
*GSCS requests that legislative leadership post these bills A3479 and S1994 – as well as A3362/Greenwald re: full funding for ‘ extraordinary aid category’ of special education in FY05 - with due speed. These bills need to be expedited to enable the opportunity for fair public discussion of funding issues, which was avoided in the hasty passage of S1701 in June. GSCS continues to advocate for stable funding for schools in FY06, and believes that A3479, S1994 and A3362 provide opportunity in that direction.
*Member Alert: Please ‘copy-paste’ this box and send your signed email to the following: sencodey@njleg.org, senlance@njleg.org, senbryant@njleg.org, senturner@njleg.org, senconiglio@njleg.org, asmsires@njleg.org, asmroberts@njleg.org, asmstanley@njleg.org, asmwatsoncoleman@njleg.org, asmreenwald@njleg.org, asmcryan@njleg.org, asmvandrew@njleg.org, asmmayer@njleg.org.
1. A3479 [Assemblymen Greenwald, Louis D./Cryan, Joseph/Van Drew, Jeff : Primary Sponsors & Mayer, David R/Co-Sponsor] Revises school district budget cap adjustments for special education and courtesy busing, makes permanent adjustment for insurance and domestic security, and provides adjustment for utility costs. GSCS take: this bill is a positive step is acknowledging that there are many costs over which schools have no control: A3479 allows cap relief for special education and utilities cost increases over the prior year, and structures a 5 year phase-out of cap relief for courtesy/safety busing and holds this relief harmless in the first year. In addition, it establishes permanent cap waivers for insurances, health costs and domestic security.
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2. S1994 [Senator Coniglio, Joseph/Primary Sponsor] Revises the calculation of school district budget caps and eliminates the restrictions on the submission of separate proposal for additional spending. However, the bill makes the local district subject to a performance management audit conducted by the State Auditor upon the submission of such proposals. GSCS take: the legislation appropriately recognizes that S1701 severe/inflexible restrictions on second questions would curtail the delivery of quality education and programs. It restores local control by eliminating the county superintendent/Commissioner approval process. S1994 also restores overall budget cap to 3% [up from the 2.5% in S1701], or the CPI, whichever is greater. This also legislation provides for full cap relief for special education costs over the prior year. A potential drawback is that a ‘performance audit’ is required in case of second question proposals. Current staffing levels at the Auditor’s office are slim. Thus the audits could not be done in the time frame required, and the second question process would likely be stymied.
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A3362/Greenwald [6th legislative district] introduced last week appropriates $18.3M in FY05 for Extraordinary Aid for Special Education. This will meet a stated goal of GSCS to have that category of special education funding made whole
MORE GRASSROOTS MEETINGS ….
The Scotch Plains Fanwood schools, led by PTA President Margaret Ames, held an important ‘public information & public support for public schools’ grassroots meeting this week:
ü October 25, Scotch Plains Fanwood [SPF] Board of Education An early evening discussion group organized by the PTA brought parents, board members, and community members, including municipal officials, together to hear about the problems for schools under the new law enacted under S1701. The exchange was constructive as well as informative & interactive. Presenters included: Anthony Del Sordi, SPF Business Administrator and President-Elect of NJ Association of School Business officials, Lee Anne Niles/Union County PTA Chair, and Lynne Strickland/GSCS Executive Director.
ü Future Regional Meetings in the works:
- Glen Ridge/ December 9;
- Mt Laurel/February 10
- Ewing/mid-January/Date to be Announced.