Quality Public Education for All New Jersey Students

 

 
     6-24-11 Democrat Budget Proposal brings aid to all districts
     4-29-11 BOOMERANG! Near 80 per cent of School Budgets Passed in Wednesday'sSchool Elections
     4-21-11 Supreme Court hears school funding argument
     4-14-11 Governor Releases Legislation to Address Education Reform Package
     4-8-11 Education Issues in the News
     4-7-11 Early news coverage & press releases - Governor's Brooking Inst. presentation on his education reform agenda
     3-25-11 Education Week on School Cutbacks Around The Nation
     2-7-11 Education - and Controversy - in the News
     12-5-10 Sunday News - Education-related Issues
     10-8-10 Education Issue in the News
     9-1-10 Education in the News
     8-27-10 later morning - breaking news: Statehouse Bureau ‘Gov. Chris Christie fires N.J. schools chief Bret Schundler’
     8-27-10 Star Ledger ‘U.S. officials refute Christie on attempt to fix Race to the Top application during presentation’
     8-25-10 Race to the Top articles - the 'day after' news analysis
     8-16-10 Senate Education hears 'for discussion only' comments re expanding charter school authorization process; Commissioner Schundler relays education priorities to the Committee
     8-13-10 East Brunswick Public School seeks stay on Hatikvah Charter School opening this fall (re: Hatikvah not meeting minimum enrollment requirement)
     7-3-10 Governor Christie and Legislative leaders reached agreement today on a 2% property tax cap with 4 major exemptions
     7-1 and 2- 10 Governor Christie convened the Legislature to address property tax reform
     GSCS On the Scene in Trenton: State Budget poised to pass late Monday...Cap Proposals, Opportunity Scholarship Act in Limbo
     6-28-10 State Budget tops the news today
     GSCS On the Scene in Trenton: Cap Proposals, Opportunity Scholarship Act in Limbo
     6-23-10 Trenton News: State Budget on the move...Education Issues
     6-11-10 In the News: State Budget moving ahead on schedule
     6-10-10 Op-Ed in Trenton Times Sunday June 6 2010
     6-8-10 Education issues in the news today - including 'hold' on pension reform, round two
     6-8-10 (posted) Education & Related Issues in the News
     6-4-10 Education News
     4-23-10 Education issues remain headline news
     4-22-10 School Elections - in the News Today
     4-6-10 'Gov. Chris Chrisite extends dealdine for teacher salary concessions'
     4-6-10 'NJ school layoffs, program cuts boost attention to Apri 20 votes
     4-2-10 Press of Atlantic City lists county impact re: school aid reduction
     4-2-10 'On Titanic, NJEA isn't King of the World'
     4-1-10 Courier Post article reports on Burlington and Camden County district budgets
     4-1-10 Education in the News today
     4-1-10 New Initiatives outlined to encourage wage freezes - reaction
     3-30-10 Race to the Top winners helped by local buy-in
     3-29-10 The Record and Asbury Park Press - Editorials
     3-26-10 School Aid, Budget Shortfall - Impt Related Issues = Front Page News
     3-23-10 ' N.J. Gov. Chris Christie signs pension, benefits changes for state employees'
     3-23-10 State Budget Issues in the News
     3-17-10 Budget News - Gov. Chris Christie proposes sacrifices
     3-17-10 Budget News - NJ Schools Stunned By Cuts
     3-14-10 'Christie will propose constitutional amendment to cap tax hikes in N.J. budget'
     3-4-10 'School aid cuts unavoidable during NJ budget crisis'
     3-3-10 'Public Education in N.J.: Acting NJ Comm of Educ Bret Schundler says 'Opportunity'
     2-26-10 'NJ average property taxes grow 3.3 percent to an average of $7,300'
     2-24-10 'Tight funds raise class sizes that districts long sought to cut'
     2-22-10 Christie and unions poised to do batttle over budget cuts'
     2-19-10 'Acting NJ education commissioner hoping other savings can ward off cuts'
     2-22-10 Trenton Active Today
     2-16-10 'Christie Adopts Corzine Cuts, Then Some'
     1-29-10 Schools in the News
     1-20-10 'N.J. files application for federal Race to the Top education money'
     1-20-10 Editorials, Commentary on New Governor in Trenton
     1-15-10 Education News-Race to the Top incentives, NCLB annual results, supermajority vote upheld
     1-14-10 'N.J. Gov.-elect Christie targets teachers' union with Schundler appointment'
     1-14-10 'To lead schools, Christie picks voucher advocate'
     1-13-10 More articles, plus Wikipedia information re New Education Commissioner, Bret Schundler
     1-13-10 More articles + Wikipedia information re New Education Commissioner, Bret Schundler
     1-13-10 Christie Press Conference reports
     1-12-10 Change in Trenton
     1-6-10 Race to the Top Plans on the move, not without conflict
     12-23-09 Press of Atlantic City - 'Corzine forms panel to aid nonpublic schools'
     1-5-10 News articles re: lame duck
     1-4-10 'Last Call for Lame Ducks in Trenton'
     1-5-10 Update on January 4 Lame Duck Session
     12-28-09 Education Week 'Race to Top' Driving Policy Action Across States
     12-27-09 'New Jersey competes for education reform stimulus money' (aka 'Race to the Top' funds)
     12-20-09 Education in the News
     12-12 & 13-09 Education Issues in the News
     11-29-09 Ramifications - News of NJ's fiscal realities
     11-20-09 'Christie lays down his law for state'
     11-13-09 Education Week on: Gov-elect Christie's Education Agenda; Race to the Top Funds Rules
     11-12-09 Governor-elect Christie names his 10 member transition team
     11-11-09 'Oliver ready for Nov.23 leadership vote, wants up or down vote on marriage equality'
     11-11-09 Christie mum on fiscal emergency declaration
     11-9-09 Edcuation in the News
     11-8-09 News of Note
     11-6-09 News of Note
     11-5-09 Day After the Election News
     11-3-09 ELECTION DAY IS TODAY - SHOW UP AND VOTE FOR THE CANDIDATES OF YOUR CHOICE
     11-2-09 NY Times NJ Governors' race update
     11-4-09 Record low turnout elects Chris Chrisite NJ's Governor
     11-3-09 'Chris Christie wins N.J. governor race'
     11-1-09 Education News of Note
     Education Week on Federal Stimulus Funding Issues
     10-26-09 'High school sports spending grows as budgets get tighter inNew Jersey'
     10-22-09 News of Note
     10-20-09 News of Note
     10-19-09 Education Week 'States felling fiscal pain despite the stimulus'
     10-14-09 'Meetings are just the tip of the iceberg'
     10-7 & 9-09 Gubernatorial Campaign news: Candidates on education; Corzine on next year's state budget
     10-5-09 Gannett: Editorial & Recommendations re: Gubernatorial Campaign Issues '09
     10-4-09 NY Times 'As Property Taxes Become a Real Burden'
     10-2-09 News of Note
     10-1-09 Education Week on Acheivement Gap narrowing; Algebra Testing
     9-30-09 'Attack ads give way to issues as campaign enters final phase'
     9-30-09 Results of School Construction bond referenda rolling in
     9-27-09 Education News of Note
     9-23-09 'Tests changing for special ed students'
     9-16-09 Courier News Editorial
     9-9-09 News of Note
     9-13-09 As an issue for N.J.(Gubernatorial election), schools are in'
     9-3 & 4-09 News of Note
     8-20-09 'Nearly all NJ teachers are highly qualified'
     8-10-09 News of Note
     8-7-09 'Bill would strengthen teacher tenure rights'
     8-4-09 Recent NJ Education News of Note
     7-22-09 'State gives extra aid for schools an extraordinary boost'
     7-16-08 Schools Testing measures adopted; Test scoring upgraded - harder to pass
     7-14-09 Philadelphia Inquirer Editorial
     7-1-09 What's the Buzz: News of Note
     4-23-09 The public shows its support for public education in passing nearly 75 per cent of school budgets statewide
     4-17-09 The $609M Federal Stimulus aid to NJ - initial reactions
     4-19 and 20-09 Editorial and School Elections articles
     3-29-09 Record Editorial on Judge Doyne recommendations
     3-10-09 GOVERNOR TO DELIVER STATE BUDGET MESSAGE TODAY - SCHOOL AID FIGURES TO BE RELEASED BY THURSDAY LATEST
     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
     11-19-08 'Too soon to scrap Abbott'
     11-24-08 Editorial asks for preschool initiative slow down
     11-23-08 State lacks financial incentives to sell concept of school mergers
     9-24-08 Editorials re High School Redesign issues
     9-24-08 Commissioner of Education at Assembly Education Committee yesterday
     9-24-08 Supreme Court hearing on constitutionality of School Funding Reform Act
     8-29-08 'Newly hired teachers benefit from Corzine delay'
     8-26-08 What's the Buzz...
     News on the Issues - Stay Informed
     8-15-08 'Superintendents sue education commissioner'
     8-14-07 In the news today
     7-28 &29- 08 Fuel cost crisis impacting school budgets across the nation
     6-13-08 News on Education Committee actions yesterday in Trenton
     6-10-08 NJ lawmakers work on $33B spending plan Tuesday
     6-9-08 GSCS Quick Facts: TRENTON FOCUS THIS WEEK
     6-4-08 In the News
     5-21-08 News Articles & editorial
     4-30-08 'Loophole on town mergers targeted
     4-18 & 4-21-08 RECENT LEGISLATIVE PROPOSALS: 3 MAJOR POLICY CHANGES PROMOTED BY ASSEMBLY SPEAKER ROBERTS
     NEWS EDITORIALS Star Ledger 4-19 & 4-20 Ammo for Abbott Foes & Spending but with Restraint
     Recent news articles of note re: probable 'lame duck ' legislative session issues - to be or not to be- and controversial school construction report
     10-23 Media reports & Trenton responses to date re GSCS Press Conf
     In the news - Corzine on school aid formula & good news for urban schools
     9-13-07Corzine adds school aid to the lame-duck agenda
     Back to School News of Note
     8-10-07 'Standing 'O' greets Corzine as he hosts town hall mtg'
     8-8-07 Editorial 'School [construction] program needs more than a facelift'
     8-2-07 Editorial 'Reliance on property taxes must be fixed'
     8-1-07 'Paterson isn't ready to gain control' & 7-29 'The Numbers still don't add up'
     7-27-07 Retiree health costs 'time bomb'
     7-26-07 'State's tab for retirees' health care is $58B'
     7-25-07 Debate over School Tests
     7-25-07 NY Times '2 NJ school districts regain some local control'
     6-29-07 Lots of news affecting NJ, its schools and communities this week - STATE BUDGET signed - LIST OF LINE ITEM VETOES - US SUPREME CT RULING impacts school desgregation - SPECIAL EDUCATION GROUPS file suit against state
     5-21-07 In Connecticut '2 School Aid Plans Have a Similar Theme'
     5-16-07 Education Week 'Frustration Builds in NJ Funding Debate'
     5-15-07 Grad students tackle school funding issues
     4-18-07 School Budget Vote passed statewide at 78% rate - GSCS take: state aid increases a factored in offsetting property tax increases, thus boosting passing rate by 24.6%, up from last year's passing rate of 53.4%
     4-4-07 News articles, editorial & Op-Ed on bill signings for A1 and A4
     4-4-07 N Y Times, front page 'NJ Pension Fund Endangered by Diverted Billions'
     3-25-07 New York Times on NJ Comparative Spending Guide, more on Gov putting off signing A1, Tax Caps & Rebate bill
     3-16-07 News articles
     3-15-07 State eases at risk aid restrictions & 25% members of NJ Senate retiring (so far)
     3-12-07 This article tells you why you cannot get easy access to legislator votes on-line
     3-8-07 'Education Chief Revamps Department'
     3-1-07 Op Ed piece re 'Super' Superintendent in the CORE Plan
     3-1-07 Emerging Devil showing up in the details
     2-23-07 News Articles re Gov's Budget Proposal
     2-22-07 Gov's Budget Message Link & Related News Articles
     2-22-07 News articles re Governor's Budget Message this morning
     2-21-07 Associated Press 'Codey Affirms More State Aid'
     2-16 to 2-19 News Articles of Note
     2-20-07 Live from the Ledger on-line
     2-21-07 Associated Press - Codey Affrims More School Aid
     2-16 to 2-19 New Articles of Note
     2-15-07 'Parents get boost on special ed rights' Star Ledger
     2-12-07 State School Aid - needed to offset property taxes now
     2-8-07 Editorial - ' Progress, Trenton style'
     2-1-07 Turnpike for sale, Gov - need funding formula, more
     1-23-07 Tax Reform in Trenton?
     1-9-07 Countywide Pilot Program and County 'Super' Superintendent bills held again yesterday, Jan 22 next probable vote date scheduled for these bills
     1-8-07 Articles & Editorial talk about 'missing pieces' of tax reform proposal and note consequences
     1-5-07 Small-town officials protest consolidation
     1-4-07 Gov Corzine & legislative leaders agree on 4% hard cap tied to sliding scale rebates (20% max on down)
     1-3-07 GSCS Member ALERT 'County School bills' fastracked again
     12-19-06 Feedback - articles on school funding heaings yesterday
     12-18-06 Sunday editorials - take of Property Tax session
     12-14-06 Trenton News articles
     11-15-06 The Special Session Jt Committee Reports
     11-19-06 Sunday Press Articles & Commentaries
     11-16-06 Property Tax Proposal news articles
     11-14-06 Direction of Special Session Report Recommendations starting to leak into press articles
     11-13-06 Schools, property taxes fuel debates
     11-11-06 New school funding plan could add $1 billion in aid
     11-10-06 NJ education chief vows urban support
     11-4-06 Senate President & Assembly Speaker 'no new taxes'
     11-1-06 Gannett 'Halved property tax called unrealistic'
     10-31-06 The Record - Property Tax Cut Debated
     10-30-06 NY Times
     10-21-06 Education Data Study Released - how the news is being reported
     10-20-06 Education - study data released
     10-5-06 Conversation on school funding, consolidation continues
     9-25-06 Savings Little -Costs at merged schools similar
     9-20-06 Coverage of the benefits & School Funding Jt Comm hearings 9-19-06
     9-18-06 News Articles re Special Session
     9-15-06 Star Ledger - 3.25B suggested for school construction
     9-7-06 The Record Local Govts Poised to save as co-pays rise
     9-7-06 News re Jt Comm on Consolidation & Shared Services mtg 9-5
     9-6-06 Articles re Jt Comm Hearing yesterday & related school news
     9-4-06 Weekend news articles of note
     8-29-06 School Funding to be reviewed today
     8-29-06 Assoc Press - School Funding to be reviewd today
     8-29-06 Hopewell Valley article re - courtesy busing withdrawal
     8-26-06 'N.J.'s best schools in wealthiest, northern towns'
     8-23-06 Crowd assails changes to state health plan
     8-23-06 Live from the Ledger on-line
     8-20-06 AP 'Property Tax reform bid to shift to overdrive'
     8-22-06 Star Ledger Column & NY Times Editorial
     8-14-06 News Clips
     8-9-06 Special Session Jt Comm on Consolidation of Govt Services meeting 8-8-06
     8-9-06 article re today's Jt Comm on Public Employee Benfits Reform
     8-8-06 NY Times Public Pension Plans Face Billions in Shortage
     7-25-06 Associated Press Prop Tax Q & A
     7-18-06 Live from the Ledger
     7-16-06 (thru 7-21-06) Bergen Record series investigate cost of NJ public services & property tax link
     7-16-06 Bergen Record series investigate cost of NJ public services & property tax link
     7-12-06 Column on State Budget legislator items
     7-12-06 Statehouse starts talking specifics about property tax reform
     7-13-06 Articles - Property tax issues, teacher salaries, voucher suit filing
     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'
     6-25-06 State Budget issues: legislative branches conflict - news articles
     6-21-06 Star Ledger - Washington DC Bureau re graduation rates & quality education
     6-20-06 News articles re State Budget FY07
     6-15-06 Star Ledger, Gannet articles- Abbott advocates demand school reform at educ. dept
     6-14-06 Assembly Minority Budget Leader Joe Malone's Op Ed
     Editorial on benefit of using UEZ surplus for spec educ aid for this year
     6-12-06 News Clips
     Weekend News Clips re Property Tax & School Funding issues
     6-9-06 Star Ledger ' Salary review bill hits roadblock'
     6-7-06 News Articles re Leg Summer Session work on Property Taxes
     6-6-06 Star Ledger re Special Summer Session
     6-5-06 Editorials on school funding & State Budget articles
     6-1-06 Star Ledger Thursday article on GSCS Annl Mtg
     5-30-06 News Articles
     5-21-06 Sunday Courier Post on Schools' hiring
     5-23-06 News Articles
     5-23-06 AP 'Codey to propose school ballott change'
     5-14-06N Y Times 'For school budgets the new word is NO'
     5-17-06 Trenton Times - School Aid, budget dominate forum
     5-16-06 News fromTrenton
     5-10-06 A Lot is going on - Major News fromTrenton
     News articles re even less state revenue & SCI scapegoating
     5-5-06 News articles Gannett and Courier Post
     One example of schools consolidating services
     4-16-06 Courier Post
     4-16-06 Star Ledger editorial & article re Gov v. Abbott from 4-15-06
     4-16-06 Sunday NY Times Metro Section, front page
     40-16-06 Gannett & Asbury Park Press on School Budget election issues
     4-13-06 'Budget cap puts NJ schools on edge'
     4-7-07 The Record
     3-31-06 AP 'Budget idea puts onus on income taxes, businesses'
     3-28-06 NY Times re Texas school finance case
     3-25-06 Press of Atlantic City
     3-29-06 News Articles on State Budget testimony before the Assembly Budget Comm. yesterday in Collingswood
     3-29-06 News Articles on State Budget testimony in Collingswood 3-28-06
     3-10-06 Star Ledger 'Time is ripe for poorer districts to contribute.
     3-22-06 News Article sampling on Governor's Proposed FY07 Budget
     3-19-06 Millville, Vineland may lose Abbott status
     3-19-06 Sunday News Articles on State Budget
     3-15-06 News articles on FY07
     3-15-06 NY Times 'Crisis at School Agency Reflects Missteps'
     3-10-06 News articles GSCS related issues
     3-7-06 More articles on the Gov's Budget Summit and School Board members fo to Trenton
     2-14-06 TrentonTimes Letter to the Editor on school construction
     2-11-06 Trenton Timesn'NJ State Budget has little wiggle room'
     2-9-06 Star Ledger School agency reformers discuss goals, problems
     2-10-06 Star Ledger editorial re void of credible & useful data at Department of Education
     FUNDING HISTORY - May 27 1998 - Education Week article re Abbott V - funding above parity
     1-26-06 New York Times article re public schools fundraising for private support
     1-25-06 Star Ledger 'School District's Woes Point to Rising Tax Resistance'
     1-24-06 Asbury Park Press 'Funding sparks heated debate'
     1-15-06 Sunday Star Ledger front page on Property Taxes
     1-12-06 Star Ledger 'Lawmaker pushes tax relief plan'
     1-12-06StarLedger 'Lawmaker pushes his tax relief plan'
     1-11-06 Star Ledger - Corzine Casts Wide Net for Cabinet
     1-6 thru 1-9-06 articles on Lameduck session and School Construction
     1-5-06 Monmouth county article on S1701 ramifications,examples - hitting hard at home
     1-1-06 Press of Atlantic City
     12-30-05 School Construction and Education Funding news clips
     12-20-05 Star Ledger on NJ Supreme Court decision on stalled school construction
     12-20-05 Star Ledger 'Schools lower the heat and risk a backlash'
     12-20-05 Star Ledger
     12-20-05 The Record 'Where Will the Bills End?' NJ Supreme Court releases its opinion on stalled school construction program.
     12-14-05 Asbury ParkPress Editorial 'Re-assess the ABC's of School Funding' notes the Governor's role is critical to make positive change
     12-16-05 Star Ledger Schools may end courtesy busing, tied to S1701 budget stressors
     12-16-05 News articles of note
     Trenton Times 6-25-05 State Budget FY06 and Democrat Tensions
     Activists Hope to Revive School Funding Issue
     12-15-05 Star Ledger School bond plans get resounding 'no'
     Time Magazine
     12-10-05 Star Ledger Schools might get heating help as bill gains on spending caps
     On Star Ledger
     12-8-05 Asbury Park Press Mom takes up the torch for school funding
     12-5-05 Governor-elect Corzine selects policy advisory groups
     11-28-05 Star Ledger 'It's Lame-duck time in Trenton'
     11-20-05 Sunday Star Ledger 'Corzine's risky promise to taxpayers
     The Record 11-18-05 Corzine's tax fix to mean 'pain'
     11-17-05 Trenton Times 'Education Chief announces testing overhaul'
     11-15-05 N Y Times article
     11-13-05 Star Ledger Sunday front page 'Blueprint for 6 Billion Dollar Boondagle
     11-14-05 The Record Herb Jackson on Whitman experience a lesson for Corzine
     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
     Assoc. Press NJ 6-10-05 Codey Brokering Deal on Tax Convention
     Gubernatorial Candidates' Education Plans announced September 05
     November 9 The Trenton Times - Corzine Triumphs
     November 7 YOUR VOTE TOMORROW COUNTS ... Some news articles worth reading
     11-4-05 Star Ledger State Board of Education calls for revamping school funding
     10-23-05 Sunda Star Ledger article on how property taxes work
     10-4-05 Trenton Times NJ may replenish school building fund.
     10-16-05 Sunday Star Ledger & Gannet news articles on gubernatorial candidates take on important issues related to public education issues
     10-19-05 Courier Post-Gannett article on Gubernatorial Debate
     Groups Seek Attention from Candidates 10-12-05
     10-6-05 and 10-12-05 Forrester v. Corzine, Corzine v. Forrester articles
     10-4-05 Trenton Times School Construction fund may be replenished
     9-29-05 Star Ledger 'NJ in hole for $53M after vote on school funds promised for construction
     9-26-05 Star Ledger School Construction Making the Grade is Now Up to the Voters
     9-22-05 Some news articles on the press conference - Gannett and Star Ledger
     9-23-05 Star Ledger School Construction on next Tuesday's bond referenda
     9-12-05 Associated Press Rutgers initiates new education institute
     9-9-05 Trenton Times,Corzine Education Agenda
     9-9-05 Asbury Park Press Corzine plans 25M education agenda
     Star Ledger 9-9-05 Soaring gas costs result in towns asking for cap relief
     Star Ledger 8-31-05: Though few, new schools open doors for kids
     8-19-05 Head of School Construction Agency Resigns Abruptly, Compounding Agency Turmoil
     Trenton Times 8-12-05 School funding sought
     Star Ledger Front Page 8-16-02 School districts run for school construction aid
     Herb Jackson Column 7-18-05 Budget 'cuts' more a case of creative math
     Herb Jackson Column 7-18-05 Budget 'cuts' more a case of creative math
     The Record 'get's it' Read Editorial 7-14-05
     Star Ledger 7-13-05 Codey Puts Constitutional Convention on Hole
     The Record7-10-05 Sunday Front Page Must Read
     Star Ledger 7-7-05 Local school officials told state may not provide promised construction funding
     The Record 7-3-05 State Budget Doles Out Money
     The Record 7-4-05 Rebates safe, but tax problem not nearer solution
     The Check it out - Press of Atlantic City 7-6-05 Education Funds lie in Budget Fine Print
     Star Ledger 7-2-05 Late Night Budget Passes
     The Record 7-2-05 State Budget Passes
     Gannet 7-2-05 State Budget and School Aid
     Asbury Park Press 6-28-05 Senate Passes $20M for 5 school districts
     Philadelphia Inquirer 6-30-05 Dueling Budgets Will Miss Deadline
     Asbury Park Press 6-30-05 No Consensus in Trenton on Spending Plan
     Trenton Times 6-30-05 School Construction Review Panel Formed
     Star Ledger 6-30-05 State Budget Finale on Hold
     Star Ledger 6-29-05 Bid to Save Tax Rebates Imperils NJ Budget
     The Record 6-29-05 Tax Plan Quitely Dying
     Trenton Times 6-25-05 State Budget and Democrat Tensions
     Star Ledger 6-17-05 Seniors want tax convention, Senate prefers Special Session
     050618 Press of Atlantic City 'Activists Look to Revisit School Funding Issue
     6-16-05 Philadelphia Inquirer Commission Librera Releases Abbott Designation Report
     Star Ledger 6-4-05 GSCS Annual Meeting Forrester & Schundler
     Assoc. Press NJ 6-10-05 Codey Brokering Deal on Tax Convention
     Star Ledger 6-14-05 Legislators Assail School Building Agency at Hearing
     Star Ledger 6-13-05 Legislators Assail School Construction Corp
     Trenton Times 6-10-05 Rebate Debate on Budget for FY06
     Star Ledger June 3 2005 Advance article, Annual Meeting noted
     Gannet on Annual Meeting 6-4-05 Forrester, Schundler Address School Concerns
     Gannet on Annual Meeting 6-4-05 Candidates Address School Concerns
     Assocated Press, In the Homestrech Forrester and Schundler Talk Education
     Class Sizes Disappoint Glen Ridge Parents
     SCC reforms underway 'Jump Starting the Effort to build New Schools' Star Ledger May26 2005.
     Trenton Times 5-24-05 Codey Plans for Less Pain in Budget
     Preliminary School Election Results from NJ Dept of Education
     Jersey Journal article
     State Health Benefit Plan Star Ledger 4-8-05
     Taxes, ire both on rise
     NJ lawmakers want the state to join education law protest
     Panel Tells of Referenda Woes
     GSCS Parent Leader Molly Emiliani-Livingston & GSCS Director Lynne Strickland present to Pennsylvania Bucks County
     Hopewell valley School Board Approves $63M Budget
     Schools will seek Extra Funding
     Rebate Panic
     Lack of funds amid surplus of concerns
     Enrollment Dip Hurts Special Schools
     Costly School Site Fiasco Spurs Assembly Measure
     Teacher Seeks Family to Fight Abbott Rulings
     Panel OKs Constitutional Convention on Tax Reform
     Jersey Halts New Pacts for School Construction
     Schools Face Enrollment, Aid Dilemma
     Cut is sought in Abbott District Aid
     Local News - Cuts plentiful in NJ budget proposal
     Amid probe, agency to cut school costs
     Acting governor faces tough sledding on deficit
     Parents Give Cody an Earful
     Courier Post Online
     Article Mt Laurel GSCS Summit 2-10-05
     Bill to loosen school budgets altered
     WNBC Interview
     Educators urge parents to fight school spending cap
     Assembly Panel Weighs Plan for a Property Tax Convention
     Tax-reform debate takes sharp turn
     School funding plan gets OK from panel
     Legislature Acts to Revamp School Spending Caps
     Educators to Argue for Repeal of Cap Law
     State must devise tests to comply with No Child Left Behind
11-6-09 News of Note
NY TIMES - November 6, 2009 Op-Ed Contributor/Harlen Coben 'Chris Christie Confidential'

My Central Jersey - 'Christie: My win not a loss for Obama'

Nj.com/Star Ledger -'Governor-elect Chris Christie prepares to take on role as head of New Jersey'

Politickernj.com -'GOP leaders rejoice in Christie's ability to unify, while Dems still skeptical'

 

 

NY TIMES - November 6, 2009

Op-Ed Contributor

Chris Christie Confidential

By HARLAN COBEN

Ridgewood, N.J.

I AM in Chris Christie campaign headquarters on election night. Broadcasters are about to call the race. Pollsters in the room huddle and whisper numbers. The air crackles with words like “victory” and “change.” But I’m lost in a bearhug with Chris, my childhood friend, and now the next governor of New Jersey. If you’ve seen Chris, you can probably imagine that he can bearhug with the best of them. This one lasts an especially long time, and corny to say, I relish it.

Suddenly I flash back to the Meadowbook Little League ball field. I am 10 years old again and scared. Because of a bout with rheumatic fever, I’ve missed the first half of the season. This is my first game back, and I’m standing there in my baggy green and white uniform, not sure what to do. A roly-poly kid in catcher’s gear sees my hesitation. He hurries over with a big smile, calls me by my name, tells me how excited he is that I’m finally ready to play.

He introduces himself. His name is Chris Christie and he, this remarkable 10-year-old boy, spends the rest of the day going out of his way to make me feel welcome. Being the cynical one in this relationship, I wonder if he’s for real. I will wonder that a lot over the years, but the answer will always be yes.

Growing up in Livingston, N.J., Chris and I both attended Heritage Junior High and Livingston High School. Chris was always quick with a smile, loved to do impressions of the teachers, had an easy laugh. When we were in seventh grade, our homeroom team won the intramural basketball championship. Chris wasn’t the best player on that team, but he was the glue. He would seek out each player’s strength and talk it up (to a terrible athlete: “Harry, you are an amazing defensive player!”). If he hadn’t gone into politics, he’d have made an excellent coach.

Chris and I had parallel New Jersey upbringings. We were both born in Newark in 1962. Our fathers were both conservatives, our mothers skewed more liberal. But while Chris favored Dad’s political viewpoint, I ended up a mama’s boy. From a fairly young age, we began to disagree on a host of issues, though we never fought about it. I credit him for this — he’s always been more tolerant than me.

In our senior year at Livingston High School, Chris is elected president of the class for the fourth year in a row (no surprise), and I’m elected president of the student council (burning-bush-type miracle). I practice what Chris now sort of preaches — lesser government. In short, I do nothing. Chris is far more diligent. He sets up meetings, fights for off-campus lunch privileges, oversees the prom, tries to raise money. I keep chocolate milk on the lunch menu.

Like most good friends, Chris and I haven’t always gotten along. There was a rough spot sometime during that senior year, though I don’t remember why anymore. I’m pretty sure it was my fault. But maybe it had something to do with Chris, too. He had an honesty that bordered on arrogance. As easygoing as he was, he tended to ignore those gray areas, seeing the world as black and white — admirable in a way but also occasionally irksome.

Still, I’ve noticed that this aspect of his personality has slipped away as he’s grown older, as he’s earned his battle scars. In the beginning of the campaign Chris told me that he would not resort to negative personal attacks on his opponent. One can argue how much of the pledge was kept, but I know that many in his party urged him to attack Gov. Jon Corzine on personal matters. Chris refused — even when his opponents unloaded a nonstop barrage of attacks about him, his appearance, and even his brother.

He did this, I think, for three reasons. One, the obvious: he claimed that fighting in the gutter would tarnish his dignity and he’d rather lose the race than lose his soul. Two, the strategic: Chris believed that going negative would backfire. You can decide if he was right.

And three, the most revealing: Chris doesn’t like to break a promise. He has been criticized by many — this friend included — for deflecting questions on what will get slashed and how, with a projected $8 billion deficit, he will be able to cut taxes. But Chris isn’t being vague for political gain. He fears being specific because that may mean breaking a promise, going back on his word.

Chris and I are in our junior year. We’re on a special committee to help select the new principal, interviewing the candidates and bored to tears, until one tells us he used to be vice principal of Freehold High, Bruce Springsteen’s alma mater. “Did you know Bruce?” we ask. He says yes and we practically fall off our chairs. After firing a bunch of “Was Bruce the coolest thing ever?” questions at the man, we’re satisfied. We vote for him and he gets the job. Springsteen is one issue Chris and I agree on.

A few weeks ago, during a Springsteen show at Giants Stadium, we texted back and forth about the pure joy of hearing the Boss play the “Born to Run” album in sequence. He argues that “Thunder Road” is the best song, but I side with “Jungleland.” The texts about the concert continue the next morning before I shift gears and tell him that I abhor his stand against gay marriage. I call him out on this issue, even saying that “it’s not you.” He does not get defensive. We agree to discuss this when there is more time. And we will. He will remain calm. I will probably be the one who gets heated. He’s used to this.

Whenever a new kid showed up at school, Chris was the first to greet him. Watch video of Chris on the campaign trail — he still finds the person in the back corner, the ill-at-ease one, and shakes his hand, brings him into the fold. On election night, when I entered his hotel suite, I was that person. Because of some weird hate mail after a TV appearance — I made the mistake of admitting to Sean Hannity that I voted for Barack Obama — I decided not to publicly support either candidate, even backing out of a fund-raiser Chris and I were hosting together.

Chris didn’t look at this as a betrayal. He understood my problem. When I entered the hotel suite on election night, he saw that I felt awkward and, as he did so many years ago on that baseball field, my roly-poly friend rushed over and made me feel welcome.

Cue the big bearhug.

Harlan Coben is the author, most recently, of “Long Lost.”


My Central Jersey - November 5, 2009:

Christie: My win not a loss for Obama

By SERGIO BICHAO
STAFF WRITER

Gov.-elect Chris Christie disagrees with political pundits who've suggested his win Tuesday night was a backlash against President Obama, who made three visits to the Garden State in support of Democratic Gov. Jon S. Corzine.

"It's not a repudiation of the president. In fact, I said the exact opposite during the campaign,'' the Republican said Thursday during a visit to the township.

Playing off Obama's presidential campaign, which promised "hope'' and "change,'' one of Christie's tag lines during the race was "Change Starts by Changing Governors.'' Early television ads for the Republican also featured images of Obama, who won in New Jersey last year.

Conservative commentators have pointed to Republican gubernatorial wins in New Jersey and Virginia as indicating the president's popularity is wearing out with moderate voters.

But Christie, apparently, is saying otherwise.

"As far as reaching out, the president has already reached out to me. I had a 5-minute phone conversation with President Obama yesterday. He called and asked to speak to me. We talked about the things we have in common. We talked about merit pay for teachers and more charter schools,'' Christie said.

"And I told him that I am looking forward to working with him,'' he said. "There are no hard feelings from him, and there are certainly no hard feelings from me.''

Christie also said he has spoken to White House senior adviser Valerie Jarrett, in charge of Intergovernmental Affairs, and with state Senate President Richard J. Codey regarding the transition of administrations.

"Codey pledged his support. He's open to me discussing with him those issues I thought were important during the lame duck session,'' Christie said. "I don't believe I am going to have a problem dealing with, on a personal level, with the folks in the opposite party.''

 

Nj.com/Star Ledger -

Governor-elect Chris Christie prepares to take on role as head of New Jersey

By Claire Heininger/Statehouse Bureau

November 05, 2009, 9:30PM

WOODBRIDGE -- During the long and brutal campaign, they called him hypocritical, hot-tempered, dishonest, too fat.

Now they’ll call him governor. But Chris Christie says he’s not wasting time on an enemies list.
"Please. I wouldn’t have enough paper. So let’s not even bother writing one," Christie told The Star-Ledger in his first detailed interview since defeating Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine on Tuesday. "This is now about governing. I won. The one thing I could never understand about people in politics was winners who are sore winners."

Instead, the Republican governor-elect is going out of his way to mend fences with Democrats, from a pleasant phone conversation with President Obama to a downtown tour today of Democratic-leaning Woodbridge.

Christie said that with an $8 billion budget deficit, the nation’s highest property taxes and countless other obstacles in his path, "the problems are too big in this state to say there’s only Republican answers and Democratic answers."

His voice raspy, Christie spoke animatedly about the rough-and-tumble campaign, his immediate governing goals, and the sudden changes facing his family. "We’re on the job, we’re getting ready," he said. "I’m ready to work ... Failure is not a part of my vocabulary."

Christie spoke in a sparse conference room at the Woodbridge municipal building on a day that also included a formal meeting with his transition leaders.

New Jersey’s first anti-abortion governor since the Supreme Court’s landmark Roe v. Wade decision, Christie said he is not sure if he will push for abortion restrictions he supports during his first year in office, such as a 24-hour waiting period, parental notification and a ban on so-called "partial birth" abortions.

A parental notification law is "something we can agree on, Republicans and Democrats, and certainly it’s something I’m going to try to get done," he said. "But it’s certainly not the first thing I’m going to be thinking about when I walk in the door.

"I haven’t made up a priority list yet beyond the first three — which is tax relief, spending cuts and reform of urban education," Christie said.

His transition team is collecting resumes to fill his cabinet, he said, but he would not name anyone under consideration for key posts. He said running mate Kim Guadagno, who will New Jersey’s first lieutenant governor when the two are sworn in Jan. 19, may be put in charge of a department.

"Budget times are tough, and I don’t know that we necessarily want to be creating a whole new staff for the lieutenant governor," he said.

Christie said he would not rule out hiring Ralph Marra or Michele Brown, his former colleagues from the U.S. Attorney’s office who faced criticism during the campaign.

"People who have real problems won’t be in the administration. People who have problems that are contrived for attempted political advantage won’t be hurt by that," he said. "That doesn’t necessary mean they’re going to be in, but if they’re not in, that won’t be the reason why they’re not.

Christie said he is planning a January inauguration, headed by brother Todd Christie and advisor Bill Palatucci, and says he’s "not beneath begging" idol Bruce Springsteen to perform. Before he is sworn in, he said he plans to place his financial assets in a blind trust to avoid conflicts.

His wife, Mary Pat, will keep her part-time job as a broker, he said, and the couple and their four children will not move to the governor’s mansion from their home in Mendham Township. They will use the Princeton Township residence, Drumthwacket, for weekly family dinners and the occasional pizza party and sleepover with Guadagno’s children.

They’re also adjusting to the omnipresence of state troopers.

"I went to go to (son) Patrick’s football game last night, and I couldn’t drive myself over there," said Christie, whose poor driving record became an issue in the campaign. "I said, ‘The people of New Jersey are relieved.’"

Asked to name the lowest point in the campaign, Christie said, "One?" then paused for several seconds, as if replaying the nine months in his mind. He eventually named the period when the U.S. Attorney’s Office, which he led for seven years, became fodder for attack as Democrats questioned whether Christie used his corruption prosecutions to launch a political career.

"That was probably the low point for me, because it was unexpected. I knew they were going to go after my brother, and I hated that, but I knew it was coming," he said. "You talk about people who have been very good public servants for decades that were impugned — that was probably the lowest point for me, because they’re my friends, and I felt badly for the fact that it was me running for this job that was causing this, that at least put them into that position."

Christie did take one swipe at Corzine’s campaign tactics, including a wave of expensive negative advertising.

"It was a lot of money they spent on something that said nothing about him — except something bad about him by implication, that he was willing to do this kind of stuff," Christie said. "I think it was just an awful strategic decision by their team, and by extension, a bad decision by him."

He said there were no apologies or allusions to the attacks during his first lengthy phone conversation with Corzine.

"The tone of our voice put it behind us," said Christie, who called Corzine "desperate" and a "failure" on the campaign trail. "I didn’t have an angry tone, or a standoffish tone in my voice, and neither did he."

"I’m just not going to get angry at people who were opposed to me, or even people who I thought did awful things to me during the campaign," he said. "It doesn’t make any sense. You won. That’s the ultimate vindication."

 

Politickernj.com -

GOP leaders rejoice in Christie's ability to unify, while Dems still skeptical

Leaders of a once fractured minority party - over the last years seemingly constantly at the verge of splitting farther apart - see unity in Gov.-elect Chris Christie.

During the campaign, Christie regularly invoked the example of former Gov. Tom Kean, a moderate, then publicly embraced movement conservative Steve Lonegan in the closing days of the general election campaign to solidify his Republican base.

Kean's son, state Senate Minority Leader Tom Kean, Jr. (R-Westfield) said he believes Christie's leadership abilities are expansive enough to include both the conservative wing and moderate wing of the GOP, in addition to independents and Democrats.

Not unlike his own father's skills in that regard.

"My father worked with a Democratic legislature in both of his terms as governor," Kean said of former Gov. Kean. "Chris also has the ability to work in a bipartisan way."

Christie's more conservative tendencies coupled with campaign trail trumpeting about turning Trenton upside down and Christie Campaign Chairman Joe Kyrillos' acknowledgement that Christie will "push outcomes," however, have some Democrats already in off-the-record bunker mode.

"I'll be curious to see what he has to offer," Assemblyman Joe Cryan (D-Union), the state Democratic Party chairman, told NJN News in the aftermath of a grueling campaign.

"It had better be in the interest of the people of New Jersey," he added.

Assemblyman Reed Gusciora (D-Princeton) anticipates a fight.

"Christie's in the catbird seat," Gusciora said. "I think he could very well be a two-termer. He could offer a $15 billion budget and dare Democrats to increase it. The programs to be cut would be those affecting our base: jobs, healthcare and state workers. Democrats are going to have to step up to the plate."

Alert to the $8-$10 billion budget deficit the state is facing, Kean this week called on Corzine not to engage in any lame duck spending.

"We've seen it before, a late flurry of spending and massive last minute appointments, and in the interest of giving Gov.-elect Chris Christie flexibility in a budget crisis, I call on Gov. Corzine not to do that," said the minority leader.

On the conservative side of the spectrum, state Sen.-elect Mike Doherty (R-Washington Twp.) believes Christie ultimately paid proper respect to the party's conservative wing during the general election.

The conservative feels especially energized heading into the upper house knowing Christie will be governor.
 
"Gov-elect Christie has a good ability to identify leaders," Doherty said. "I remember some time ago seeing (Lieutenant Gov-elect) Kim Guadagno at an event and I thought, 'she's really on the ball.' Obviously, Chris Christie figured it out. That's what made Ronald Reagan great: the confdence to put winners in key roles."
 
What about movement conservative leader Steve Lonegan in the Christie cabinet?

"Steve Lonegan is a smart guy with incredible energy," said Doherty. "It would be a tremendous asset to have him in the cabinet. Of course, it's up to Chris Christie to put his team together."

Of Christie's prospective relationship with the legislature, "He certainly knows all the legislators and has a good relationship with leadership," said Doherty. "Being a Jersey guy means a lot. I think Jon Corzine, coming from Illinois, was then stuck in his tower at Goldman Sachs. You look at that compared to a guy (Christie) who was born in Newark, who moved up Bloomfield Avenue to Livingston, who knows how tough people are in New Jersey."

Doherty praised Kean early for his leadership during the senate presidency struggle.
 
"As a new member of the Republican caucus I'm impressed with the leadership of Tom Kean, Jr.," said the Warren County-based senator. "He recognizes if the Republican Party stays together we're stronger."

Kean would not say whether he believes Christie's presence as governor would alter the terrain heading into next year's vote in the full senate.

"The Republican caucus has 17 votes, Senate Majority Leader Steve Sweeney (D-West Deptford) has 15, and Senate President Dick Codey (D-Roseland) has eight," said Kean. "That dynamic has not changed."

Max Pizarro is a PolitickerNJ.com Reporter and can be reached via email at max@politicsnj.com.