| ||||||||||||
Courier Post - School board, cap votes set for today..."Today is a rare Wednesday election day for New Jersey voters who are going to the polls to vote on school tax levies and choose school board members..."
Star Ledger - Gov. Christie is critical of N.J. Legislature, Supreme Court in Hamilton town hall meeting
Courier Post - School board, cap votes set for today
A sign in Lumberton urges a "yes' vote to keep township services. 4-27-11
Written by
BARBARA S. ROTHSCHILD
Courier-Post Staff
Today is a rare Wednesday Election Day for New Jersey voters, who are going to the polls to decide on school tax levies and choose school board members.
There also are unrelated referendum questions today in five Burlington County municipalities asking voters to raise property taxes for local government services beyond the 2 percent allowed without a public vote. Those questions are on the same ballot as the school elections.
Polling hours for the municipal referendums in Medford, Mount Holly, Lumberton, Mansfield and Bordentown Township are from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. -- longer than the required school election hours.
Two districts -- Springfield in Burlington County and Kingsway Regional in Gloucester County -- have second ballot questions that can be approved only if the base budget gets the go-ahead.
Springfield wants an additional $100,000 from voters for a new teacher so it can hold full-day kindergarten. Kingsway Regional seeks an additional $405,275 to re-establish late buses, some after-school activities, and freshman and middle school sports.
Voters in Riverside also are considering a $750,000 construction bond referendum to build new bleachers at the high school.
Polls must be open from 5 to 9 p.m., but open earlier in some districts.
Reach Barbara S. Rothschild at (856) 486-2416 or barothschild@camden.gannett.com
Star Ledger - Gov. Christie is critical of N.J. Legislature, Supreme Court in Hamilton town hall meeting
Published: Tuesday, April 26, 2011, 9:34 PM Updated: Wednesday, April 27, 2011, 5:34 AM
By Ginger Gibson/Statehouse Bureau The Star-Ledger
HAMILTON — Gov. Chris Christie went after two branches of government at a town hall in Hamilton today, denouncing the state Supreme Court on the possibility they will rule against him in a big school funding case and lambasting the Legislature for not passing his proposals.
"Be paying attention," he warned, "because this is going to be a very important moment in the history of our state."
Christie has already publicly mulled the possibility of defying the Supreme Court, which is considering a challenge to his cuts to state education aid. The court could order him to boost funding by as much as $1.7 billion back.
Christie also provided more harsh words for Associate Justice Barry Albin, who when the case was argued asked an attorney representing the governor about letting the "millionaire’s tax" expire.
"Some people try to call me a dictator, are you kidding? This guy sitting on the bench is a judge telling you how much your taxes should be raise," Christie said of Albin.
Christie said the courts shouldn’t play a role in deciding school funding because they’re not elected and can’t be approached to answer questions from the public.
"You know what he would say to you?" Christie said, then dropping the pitch of his voice and mocking Albin. " ‘Oh I’m sorry, I’m a judge. I can’t discuss it with you, I can’t discuss it with you. I’m a high and mighty judge. I can’t talk about it.’ But he can take his hand and put it in your pocket and take your money."
Gov. Chris Christie unveils "The Do-Nothing Legislature's Report Card" Touching on hot-button topics like pension reform, education and health care reform, Gov. Chris Christie unveiled "The Do-Nothing Legislature Report Card" at a town hall meeting in Hamilton. On topic after topic, the governor gave the state legislature a grade of "incomplete." (Video by Michael Monday/The Star-Ledger) Watch video
Lawrence Baum, a political science professor at The Ohio State University, said a governor suggesting he would not carry out a court’s decision "is unusual but not unique. In practice, not to follow a decision fully is somewhat more common."
Baum, whose research focuses on judicial politics, said Christie has more power over the courts then other executives, because he can decide to not reappoint a justice who is up for review, as he did with Justice John Wallace.
Albin, however, has tenure and can be on the bench longer than Christie is in office. "For him to criticize justices by name, it’s unusual," Baum said.
At today’s town hall meeting, Christie focused mostly on what he sees as inaction by the Legislature. He presented a legislative "report card," scoring them "incompletes" on eight of his proposals, including changes to teacher tenure and public employee benefits.
Christie took aim again at Assemblywoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Mercer) for her prison early release bill. After two inmates released early through the program allegedly committed murder, Christie said Watson Coleman was responsible.
"I hope that we don’t have another person or multiple persons lose their lives," Christie said. "She said it was awful for the governor to say it’s my responsibility. Well who the hell’s is it? You’re the one who sponsored the law, pushed for the law, passed the law and now fight the laws repeal."
Gov. Christie publicly criticizes Justice Barry Albin over Abbott v. Burke At a town hall meeting on Tuesday in Hamilton Township, Governor Chris Christie sharply criticized State Supreme Court Justice Barry Albin over comments he made during last weeks hearing of Abbott v. Burke. The Governor said that "this is going to be a very important moment in the history of our state." (Video by Michael Monday/The Star-Ledger) Watch video
Watson responded by saying if she is responsible for those murders, Christie is responsible for the skyrocketing homicide rate in Newark because of police officer layoffs after his cuts to municipal aid.
"The governor’s tirades are tiresome and cowardly," Coleman said. "It would be nice if he decided to act like a leader once in a while and engage in an adult conversation about the issues."
