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(ATTACHED PLEASE FIND THE MARLBORO SCHOOLS LETTER TO GOVERNOR CHRISTIE.) Overview: As a result of significant cuts in state aid to education, along with other financial constraints that recently have been placed upon public schools, budgeting for the 2010-11 school year has been extraordinarily difficult. Just this week, the governor’s office stated that school districts should not expect to receive more state aid for 2011-12 than was received for this year. The Marlboro Township K-8 School District has already developed its preliminary projection for 2011-12 and it does not look good. In light of this, the attached letter to Governor Chris Christie (which was also sent to Commissioner of Education Brett Schundler and 19 legislators*) asks for an exemption to the 2% cap for salaries above that amount that were negotiated prior to the cap being instituted. It is hoped that the letter will bring attention to this matter and result in some relief for Marlboro, as well as other districts that have found themselves in the same position.)
"...• The prolonged negotiations lasted for almost two years because the Board held its position requiring a sharing of the cost of health benefits throughout every available phase of the process – direct face-to-face negotiations, mediation, fact-finding, and finally (and one of very few districts to reach this point), super-conciliation. • At the end of 22 months, the Board succeeded in getting the association to move to the State Health Benefits Plan, and, because of the structure of the agreement, the association’s newest contract, which began July 1, 2010, also results in their members contributing 1.5% towards the cost of the new plan.
The MTBOE should indeed be rewarded for having held the line.
Instead, we are to be punished retroactively by the lack of an exemption for the salary increases above the new 2% cap. This extremely difficult and hard-fought battle on behalf of the Marlboro taxpayers, which resulted in savings of over $3.5 million, will now undeservedly incapacitate the district because those savings were not achieved in the area of salaries. (And, it is important to note that had those savings been realized in salaries, the savings would have only have netted 1/3 of the $3.5 million that was achieved with the super-conciliator’s recommendation.)
It should be the net savings contained in a labor agreement, NOT solely the savings in the salary area,
that receives the focus of attention..."
(ATTACHED PLEASE FIND THE MARLBORO SCHOOLS LETTER TO GOVERNOR CHRISTIE.
As a result of significant cuts in state aid to education, along with other financial constraints that recently have been placed upon public schools, budgeting for the 2010-11 school year has been extraordinarily difficult. Just this week, the governor’s office stated that school districts should not expect to receive more state aid for 2011-12 than was received for this year.
The Marlboro Township K-8 School District has already developed its preliminary projection for 2011-12 and it does not look good. In light of this, the attached letter to Governor Chris Christie (which was also sent to Commissioner of Education Brett Schundler and 19 legislators*) asks for an exemption to the 2% cap for salaries above that amount that were negotiated prior to the cap being instituted. It is hoped that the letter will bring attention to this matter and result in some relief for Marlboro, as well as other districts that have found themselves in the same position.)
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Marlboro Township Public Schools
1980 TOWNSHIP DRIVE, MARLBORO, NEW JERSEY 07746-1198
TELEPHONE: (732) 972-2000, ext. 2010
FAX: (732) 972-2003
TERRY SPILKEN
PRESIDENT
MICHAEL LILONSKY
VICE PRESIDENT
DAVID C. ABBOTT
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
CINDY S. BARR-RAGUE
SCHOOL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATOR/
BOARD SECRETARY
VICTORIA DEAN
RAYMOND ENG
PAULA FASCIANO
CYNTHIA GREEN
MURRAY HOFFMAN
EDWIN MADARI
BONNIESUE ROSENWALD
July 29, 2010
The Honorable Chris Christie
Governor of New Jersey
New Jersey Statehouse
P.O. Box 001
Trenton, New Jersey 08625
Dear Governor Christie:
The Marlboro Township Board of Education is reaching out to you to ask you to reconsider exempting
current contracts exceeding the 2% salary cap increase. We, along with our superintendent, Dr. David
Abbott, would welcome the opportunity to discuss this with you further anywhere and at any time, so that
you truly understand how devastating this lack of an exemption will be to the students of Marlboro and
every other district in New Jersey in the similar situation.
Governor Christie, kindly allow us to provide you with information that shows Marlboro’s current and
untenable situation in its correct light:
Our Board of Education feels compelled to offer its input and insight into the crippling effect that disal-
lowing previously-negotiated contracts from exceeding the 2% cap will have on New Jersey’s schools.
In the recent past, there have been reports that have not represented the context, actual process, and
rationale that eventually led to Marlboro’s contract settlement this past fall.
• The Marlboro Township Board of Education (MTBOE) and its teachers’ union, the Marlboro
Township Education Association (MTEA), recently negotiated a successor agreement to the
contract that expired on June 30, 2008.
• The prolonged negotiations lasted for almost two years because the Board held its position
requiring a sharing of the cost of health benefits throughout every available phase of the
process – direct face-to-face negotiations, mediation, fact-finding, and finally (and one of very
few districts to reach this point), super-conciliation.
• At the end of 22 months, the Board succeeded in getting the association to move to the State
Health Benefits Plan, and, because of the structure of the agreement, the association’s newest
contract, which began July 1, 2010, also results in their members contributing 1.5% towards the
cost of the new plan.
The MTBOE should indeed be rewarded for having held the line.
Instead, we are to be punished retroactively by the lack of an exemption for the salary increases above
the new 2% cap. This extremely difficult and hard-fought battle on behalf of the Marlboro taxpayers,
which resulted in savings of over $3.5 million, will now undeservedly incapacitate the district because
those savings were not achieved in the area of salaries. (And, it is important to note that had those sav-
ings been realized in salaries, the savings would have only have netted 1/3 of the $3.5 million that was
achieved with the super-conciliator’s recommendation.)
It should be the net savings contained in a labor agreement, NOT solely the savings in the salary area,
that receives the focus of attention.
To ignore the overall savings via the application of the 2% cap on previously negotiated contracts, is a
gross and blatantly unfair interpretation of the success of hard bargaining by a Board of Education that
saved more in the area of health benefits than it would have saved by locking in only the 2% salary
increase and nothing else.
Marlboro’s net savings should be applauded, not overlooked and ignored.
Salary increases above the 2% cap in labor contracts already negotiated and signed MUST be exempt
– especially when the net savings within the contract is so substantial.
Currently, with the 2% cap in effect for the 2010-11 school year, we are faced with a deficit of approxi-
mately $2.2 million. Allowing an exemption for labor contracts already negotiated and signed will reduce
this overage by $900,000, leaving us with a more manageable, albeit still onerous, deficit of $1.3 million.
A smaller deficit will make a significant difference in determining where cuts will be made that will have
the least impact in the classroom.
It is important to note that by the state’s own standards, Marlboro Township School District has an exem-
plary record of providing an outstanding public education to approximately 6,000 students in grades
K-8 while at the same time, demonstrating a commitment of fiscal responsibility and efficiency to its tax-
payers. Our achievements include:
• Development of shared services agreements with Marlboro Township (snow plowing and pur-
chase of fuel); Ed Data Services (a statewide co-op that allows us to purchase supplies such
as classroom, art, home arts, library, technology, maintenance, and copy paper at a significant-
ly discounted rate); Monmouth Ocean Education Services Commission (non-public services,
special education, transportation, and personnel); Freehold Regional High School District (non-
public transportation); Monmouth Ocean Shared Services Insurance Fund (workers compensa-
tion pool); and Manalapan-Englishtown School District (bus washing facilities)
• The state’s transportation efficiency ranking reports vehicle utilization for Marlboro was 2.14 in
2009 (1.20 is standard)
• A rank of #2 out of 39 districts in Monmouth County for transportation efficiency; for the last five
years, Marlboro has ranked in the top three districts in Monmouth County
• A rank of #6 out of 54 districts in Monmouth County for all cost indicators*
• Comparative cost per pupil of $11,769 compared to the state median of $13,097 for like districts,
or a rank of 22 out of 89 like districts*
• Total per pupil cost of classroom instruction of $7,431 compared to the state average of $7,801
or a rank of 35 out of 89*
• Comparative administrative cost per pupil of $1,223 compared to the state median of $1,560 for
like districts or a rank of 11 out of 89 like districts*
• Pupil-to-administrator ratio of 211.5:1 compared to the state average of 167.2:1 for like districts*
• Median teacher salary of $51,500 compared to the state average of $56,688 or a rank of 10 out
of 89 like districts*
• For the seventh year in a row, the district’s business administrator/board secretary has been
awarded the Association of School Business Officials Certificate of Excellence in Financial
Reporting, fiscal year ending June 30, 2009
• NJ QSAC found Marlboro to be a “high performing” school district, with DPR scores of 100%
for Governance, 100% for Operations Management, 100% for Personnel, 98% for Fiscal
Management, and 91% for Instruction and Program
*According to the New Jersey Department of Education 2010 Comparative Spending Guide
Should an exemption for labor contracts already negotiated not be permitted, how many more teachers
will we have to lose? How many more programs will we have to cut? How will we maintain our record of
outstanding student achievement? What will happen to the quality of education in NJ?
Who, given an option, would choose to move or to stay here and have their children educated under
such frighteningly uncertain and deplorable circumstances?
We hope to hear from you and stand by ready to work with your office on this unintended consequence
that will do real harm to the quality of education in our Monmouth County community.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Terry Spilken, Board of Education President
Dr. David C. Abbott, Superintendent of Schools
cc: Press Secretary Michael Drewniak, New Jersey Governor’s Office
Chief of Staff Richard Bagger, New Jersey Governor’s Office
Chief of Policy Gregg Edwards, New Jersey Governor’s Office
