Quality Public Education for All New Jersey Students

 

 
     3-30-13 Education in the News - Dept of Education-State Budget, Autism Rates in NJ
     3-20-12 Education Issues in the News
     GSCS State Budget FY 2012-2013 Testimony
     3-11-12 Education Issues in the News
     2-29-12 NJTV on NJ School Funding...and, Reporters' Roundtable back on the aire
     2-26-12 State budget, School Elections, and Federal Grant funds for local reform initiatives
     2-24-12 Headlines from around NJ - from Google (hit on nj education-nj budget)
     2-23-12 Education in the News - Education reform noted in state budget message; Facebook grant to Newark teachers
     2-23-12 State Aid Figures Released late today: GSCS Statement
     STATE AID DISTRICT LIST - PROPOSED for FY 2012-2013
     Education Funding Report on School Funding Reform Act (SFRA) issued 2-23-12
     Text of Gov. Christie's State Budget Message, given Feb. 21, 2012
     2-22-12 School Aid in State Budget Message - Is There a Devil in the Details
     2-21-12 State Budget Message for Fiscal Year 2012-2013
     FY'12 State School Aid District-by-District Listing, per Appropriations Act, released 110711
     GSCS Take on Governor's Budget Message for FY'12
     GSCS 3-7-11Testimony on State Budget as Proposed by the Governor for FY'12 before the Senate Budget Committee
     Gov's Budget Message for Fiscal Year 2011-2012 Today, 2pm
     GSCS FYI
     2-7-11Grassroots at Work in the Suburbs
     1-13-11 Supreme Court Appoints Special Master for remand Hearing
     1-20-11 GSCS Testimony before Senator Buono's Education Aid Impact hearing in Edison
     NOTE: FOR CURRENT INFO ON STATE BUDGET FY'11, GO TO LINK ON LEFT SIDEBAR '2010-2011 STATE BUDGET'
     GSCS FYI - GSCS will be testifying onTuesday in Bergen County on the State Budget
     3-17-10 Budget News - Gov. Chris Christie proposes sacrifices
     3-15-10mid-day: 'Gov. Christie plans to cut NJ school aid by $800M'
     3-14-10 'Christie will propose constitutional amendment to cap tax hikes in N.J. budget'
     3-15-10 'N.J. taxpayers owe pension fund $45.8 billion' The Record
     3-3-10 'Public Education in N.J.: Acting NJ Comm of Educ Bret Schundler says 'Opportunity'
     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'
     2-22-10 Trenton Active Today
     2-19-10 'Acting NJ education commissioner hoping other savings can ward off cuts'
     2-16-10 'Christie Adopts Corzine Cuts, Then Some'
     2-14-10 'FAQ's on NJ's state of fiscal emergency declaration by Gov. Christie'
     2-12-10 Assembly Budget hearing posted for this Wednesday, Feb. 17
     2-12-10 News Coverage: Governor Christie's message on actions to address current fiscal year state budget deficits
     FY2010 Budget Solutions - PRESS PACKET
     School Aid Withheld Spreadsheet
     State Aid 2010 Reserve Calculation and Appeal Procedures
     State Aid Memo (2-11-10) 2 pgs
     2-11-10 Gov Christie address to Joint Session of the Legislature on state budget and current year aid reduction remains scheduled for today
     2-10-10 'Schools are likely targets for NJ budget cuts'
     2-9-10 News article posted this morning notes potential for large loss of current year school aid
     2-8-10 'School leaders around N.J. wait and worry over state aid figures'
     1-28-10 School Surplus plan to supplant State Aid in this year gaining probability
     1-21-10'N.J.'s Christie won't rule out layoffs, furloughs to close unexpected $1.2B deficit'
     2005 Archive
     1-18-10 Advance news on 'Christie as new Governor'
     GSCS to speak at Tri-District 'Open' meeting in Monmouth on January 27
     12-15-09 GSCS is working with the Christie Transition Team
     11-29-09 Ramifications - News of NJ's fiscal realities
     Codey bill allows Budget Message to be delayed until March 16, 2010
     6-26-09 Executive Director to GSCS Trustees; Wrap Up Report - State Budget and Assembly bills this week
     6-26-09 NJ State Budget Passed late Thursday night
     6-19-09 a.m. GSCS 'Quick' FYI - State Budget Vote delayed to Thursday, June 25
     6-18-09 Deocrats say they have the votes to pass the State Budget today
     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
     5-14-09 GSCS Heads Up - State Aid payments to be delayed into next Fiscal Year
     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
     Latest Title 1 'preliminary' funding under the ARRA 3-09
     Latest website filing by the USDOE on Title 1 funding
     3-13-09 Information to Districts re: Federal Stimulus- Additional Title 1 and IDEA funding information still not ready for distribution
     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
     2-23-09 S-15 (Buono) Pension Deferral bill up for a vote in the Sentate today
     2-19-09 Federal stimulus - information re: Education funding in 'State Fiscal Stabilization' part of the package
     2-18-09 Corzine announces more cuts, more deficit
     NJ District listing, Title One & IDEA under federal stimulus law
     2-3-09 Corzine to unveil new cuts when he offers 2010 budget
     1-23-09 Schools get an eduction in thrift
     1-17-09 GSCS EMAILNET & SCHOOL FUNDING OVERVIEW
     1-16-09 Today's news notes state budget waiting on Obama stimulus package
     1-15-09 HEADS UP - Budget Message date to be delayed now to March 12
     1-14-09 Meeting with Mayors, Corzine warns of cuts
     1-9-09 State Senator requests education committee hearing on potential school funding cuts
     12-28-08 NY Times 'Pension Fight Signals What Lies Ahead'
     11-25-08 Perspective piece criticizes recent Supreme Court Abbott decision
     6-24-08 State Budget passed yesterday, as did the School Construction, Pension Reform, and Affordable Housing bills
     6-23-08 A2873-S1457 School Construction bills up for vote today, along with State Budget FY09
     6-20-08 State Budget stalls, school construction is one obstacle
     A2800 - Proposed State Budget bill released 6-17-08
     6-17-08 Legislature and Governor agree on State Budget FY09
     GOVERNOR'S PROPOSED BUDGET Fiscal Year 2009...INFO
     Office of Leg Services Analysis of Gov's Education budget FY09
     GSCS & NJ Spec. Educ.Funding Coalition on STATE FUNDING FOR EXTRAORDINARY COST FY09 issues & beyond
     6-9-08 GSCS Quick Facts: TRENTON FOCUS THIS WEEK
     3-19-08 GSCS Testimony on State Budget for Fiscal Year 2008-2009
     2-26-08 Governor Corzine's Budget Message for Fiscal Year 2008-2009
     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
     6-14-07 Revisions to State Budget filed today
     4-4-07 N Y Times, front page 'NJ Pension Fund Endangered by Diverted Billions'
     3-15-07 State eases at risk aid restrictions & 25% members of NJ Senate retiring (so far)
     3-13-07 GSCS Testimony on State Budget FY'08
     GRASSROOTS SPEAK UP re State Aid for FY07-08 & Recent Legislation that can negatively impact school communities
     Hearings Schedule for State Budget FY07-08
     3-1-07 Emerging Devil showing up in the details
     2-27-07 GSCS welcomes that state aid increases for regular operating districts helps lower & some middle income districts - will persevere to see that the state extends its share of support to education more fully to all districts
     2-23-07 News Articles re Gov's Budget Proposal
     2-22-07 GSCS EMAILNET re Gov's Budget Message
     2-22-07 Gov's Budget Message Link & Related News Articles
     2-22-07 GSCS Press Release: Governor Corzine's Budget Message today
     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
     NJ Assembly Session FY06 Budget Debate Majority Leader Joe Roberts standing
     7-12-06 Column on State Budget legislator items
     7-11-06 Appropriations Act bill
     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 Afternoon Friday - budget document awaiting
     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 GSCS 'QUICKNET FYI' Update on State Budget for FY 2007
     6-29-06 Mirroring the elements, State Budget looking like a 'natural disaster'
     6-25-06 State Budget issues:legislative branches conflict - news articles
     6-14-06 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 EMAILNET - Extraordinary Special Education student aid; FY07 Budget 'crunch' is on; news clips
     Weekend News Clips re Property Tax & School Funding issues
     GSCS 15th Annual Breakfast Meeting Program Info Update
     5-16-06 EMAILNET Action in Trenton
     5-10-06 EMAILNET
     5-10-06 A Lot is going on - Major News fromTrenton
     5-9-06 Supreme Ct freezes aid & Asm Budget Comm grills DOE Commissioner
     News articles
     TRENTON RALLY PROPOSED (late morning) Thurs JUNE 8
     3-28-06 GSCS testimony before Assembly Budget Comm today
     Legislative Calendar during State Budget FY07 process
     4-17-06 EMAILNET
     4-16-06 Star Ledger editorial & article re Gov v. Abbott from 4-15-06
     40-16-06 Gannett & Asbury Park Press on School Budget election issues
     4-16-06 Sunday NY Times Metro Section, front page
     Governor Corzine takes steps towards major policy initiatives.
     3-28 & 4-3-06 GSCS FY07 testimony before Senate & Assembly Budget Comm
     Grassroots at work - Ridgewood Board member testimony of FY07
     4-8-06 Corzine Administration files brief with Supreme Court re Abbott funding
     4-7-06 The Record
     3-31-06 AP 'Budget idea puts onus on income taxes, businesses'
     3-29-06 EMAILNET State Budget FY07 Hearings Update
     3-24-06 EMAILNET FYI Update on Gov Corzine's Budget FY07
     3-24-06 Schools learn who wins, loses in Corzine budget
     3-23-06 Corzine says some Abbotts can raise taxes
     3-22-06 News Article sampling on Governor's Proposed FY07 Budget
     3-22-06 EMAILNET Governor Corzine's Budget Message
     Governor's 3-21-06 Budget message & hard copy links
     3-15-06 News articles on FY07
     3-10-06 Star Ledger 'Time is ripe for poorer districts to contribute.
     EMAILNET 3-9-06 to South Jersey districts
     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
     3-4-06 Star Ledger Interest groups to address budget
     3- 4-06 Trenton Times Likey state aid cuts frustrating districts
     3-3-06 EMAILNET Budget Discussions begin in earnest
     7-14-05 EMAILNET Record article & today's editorial re politics & inequity in school aid and S1701: Update
     Check it out - The Press of Atlantic City 7-6-05 Education Funds lie in Budget Fine Print
     3-1-06 EMAILNET State Budget FY07, Health Benefits
     2-24-06 Trenton Times - Higher schools taxes needed
     School Budget Guidelines released 2-21-07
     2-11-06 Trenton Timesn'NJ State Budget has little wiggle room'
     2-1-06 EMAILNET GSCS Advocacy FY07 Budget; On the Homepage Today
     FUNDING HISTORY - May 27 1998 - Education Week article re Abbott V - funding above parity
     2003 GSCS letter to legislators
     Star Ledger 6-29-05 Bid to Save Tax Rebates Imperils NJ Budget
     Rebate Debate on Budget for FY06
     Public Information available at New Jersey website
     S2558 Bill to provide $19.9M in Abbott aid to additional districts
     GSCS Advocacy for State Budget FY06
     GSCS Testimony: State Budget Fiscal Year 2006
7-7-06 EMAILNET - AGREEMENT ON STATE BUDGET REACHED, impt 'details' still being finalized
GSCS QUICK FACT: The budget document, known as the Appropriations Act (for Fiscal Year 2007) still needs to be finalized, voted upon by the legislature and signed by the Governor, who have the power of line item veto Since the agreement calls for about half of the sales tax increase will be dedicated to property tax relief, there are important ‘details’ still to be decided - approximately $550M more in revenue needs to be found in order to achieve the constitutionally required balanced budget. This budget document is to be presented to the full legislature for a final vote today or tomorrow… …..STAY TUNED…. Read for articles

GARDEN STATE COALITION OF SCHOOLS

 

GSCS ‘QUICKNET’ FYI -   7-7-06

 

gscs2000@gmail.com       www.gscschools.org

 

ON THE HOMEPAGE today…

 

7-7-06 AGREEMENT ON STATE BUDGET REACHED, impt 'details' still being finalized
Friday, July 07, 2006 State still shut, despite budget deal The state of New Jersey is back in business. Almost.

With Gov. Jon Corzine coming to an agreement in principle with legislative leaders on a new state budget, the unprecedented shutdown of government could end as soon this evening or early tomorrow.

The spending plan, which will raise the states sales tax to 7 percent, was being finalized overnight and is expected to go through legislative budget committees today. The full Senate and Assembly could vote on it tomorrow.

When signed, the new agreement will allow the re-opening of casinos, state parks and beaches and all other government services, which have been shut down since July 1. State workers could return to work on Monday.

"This absolutely must not happen again,'' Corzine said early today. "Our budget process and procedure are flawed and we have an obligation to fix them...by Chris D'Amico
More ...

GSCS QUICK FACT: The budget document, known as the Appropriations Act (for Fiscal Year 2007) still needs to be finalized, voted upon by the legislature and signed by the Governor, who have the power of line item veto Since the agreement calls for about half of the sales tax increase will be dedicated to property tax relief, there are important ‘details’ still to be decided - approximately $550M  more in revenue needs to be found in order to achieve the constitutionally required balanced budget. This budget document is to be presented to the full legislature for a final vote today or tomorrow

…..STAY TUNED….

 

STATE BUDGET WAR IS OVER

Friday, July 07, 2006

BY JEFF WHELAN AND JOHN P. MARTIN

Star-Ledger Staff

Gov. Jon Corzine and Assembly Democrats settled their weeklong budget dispute yesterday, signaling an end to the government shutdown that put tens of thousands of New Jerseyans out of work, paralyzed the courts, closed parks and halted gambling in Atlantic City casinos for the first time in history.

With the agreement, Corzine won his battle to raise the state's sales tax to 7 percent, which he called the first step in overcoming "years of failed fiscal policy and one-shot gimmicks" that left state finances in distress.

But he also pledged to dedicate at least half of the new revenue to offset property taxes, a priority for the Assembly speaker, Joseph Roberts (D-Camden), who led opposition to the governor's budget. Corzine said the deal guarantees $5 billion in relief for property owners over the next decade.

Legislators said they would work through the night to finalize details of the $31 billion spending plan and could vote on it later today. Restarting the government would follow. Corzine said the process could take a day or more; the casinos, for instance, might remain closed until tomorrow.

"This is not a time for celebration or elation," Corzine said, announcing the deal in a late-afternoon news conference with Roberts and Senate President Richard Codey (D-Essex). "Far too many people's lives have been disrupted."

The compromise followed a historic week that cost the state millions of dollars, pit the freshman governor against a freshman Assembly speaker, and laid bare the bitter intraparty politics that are likely to be recalled during election season, if voters need any help remembering.

As the two Democrats waged a power struggle over the state coffers, hundreds of thousands of New Jerseyans were unable to collect a paycheck, complete routine tasks such as getting a driver's license, or visit a state park.

Nowhere were the effects as visible as in Atlantic City, where gambling stopped Wednesday when state inspectors were furloughed. The shutdown, which began Saturday and was phased in over the week, cost the casinos as much as $16 million a day, idled tens of thousands of workers and emptied the resort town in the heart of its busiest season.

The state lost $1.3 million in gaming taxes each day, and almost twice that much after suspending its lottery.

Some of the would-be gamblers apparently flocked north to Connecticut, where that state's major casinos deployed extra buses and reported a surge in visitors this week. "It appears that we've had a significant increase," Mohegan Sun spokesman Saverio Mancini said.

New Jersey's racetracks also were forced to halt operations. Monmouth Park canceled racing for the first time yesterday. The Meadowlands canceled its cards for a fourth night.

EERIE QUIET

State beaches and parks were off-limits for a second day, and courts remained closed for all but emergency matters.

At Superior Court in Newark, the state's busiest county courthouse, the hallways were eerily quiet, except for the deputy sheriffs who patrolled the floors, turning away visitors. "Courts are closed today," one bellowed to a visitor who entered the front doors.

Corzine said the state's constitution mandated him to shut down the government when he and legislators couldn't agree on a budget by July 1. More than 45,000 "nonessential" state workers were told to stay home.

Trenton, which had been unusually quiet for most of the week, began to come alive yesterday morning, after Corzine convened the Legislature for the third consecutive day.

Throngs of state employees and casino workers gathered in the Statehouse Annex courtyard for a rally to urge passage of the budget. A sign posted beside the main entrance stairs read: "Trump to Roberts, You're Fired."

The governor's speech to lawmakers hit on largely the same points as his remarks in previous days. He insisted the state was drowning "in a recurring sea of red ink" and urged them to bring him a budget he could sign. But he was more stern, if not weary, drawing a round of cheers and a standing ovation when he pounded the podium and told them, "We can do this today! Today! Today!"

By that time, the seeds of a deal had been planted. The governor had sent a new proposal to the Assembly Budget Committee Wednesday night, one that was slightly different from the compromise Codey brokered earlier in the week.

Corzine has proposed a budget that would raise state spending by about $3 billion but includes $2 billion in spending freezes and cuts, including the elimination of 1,000 state jobs and 75 programs. It also calls for a $1.5 billion payment to reimburse state employees' pension fund.

The latest deal leaves intact Corzine's proposal to increase the 6 percent sales tax to 7 percent, but adds a constitutional amendment -- subject to approval by voters -- to guarantee that half the revenue it generates over the next decade will go to property tax reform. And it makes raising that share above 50 percent a goal in future budgets.

THE BREAKTHROUGH

At noon, Corzine strode into Roberts' office in the Statehouse, heightening speculation that a deal was at hand. As details began to trickle out, some Assembly Democrats painted the proposal as a victory.

"When we heard the (guaranteed) 10 years, we sat down briefly so he (Roberts) could explain what was being said," said Assemblyman Neil Cohen (D-Union). "There became a consensus that we'd moved the ball down the field."

Others said the Democratic caucus was starting to show signs of a divide, fearful of an election backlash this fall. Assemblyman Jeff Van Drew (D-Cape May) disputed that contention, saying the question "was never about being afraid politically." But he said legislators knew it was time to move forward.

"We were going to get to the point where people were literally not going to be able to pay their mortgages and their rents," he said.

Republicans, who as the minority party were left to the sidelines during the dispute, couldn't find much to like about the compromise. Senate Minority Leader Leonard Lance (R-Hunterdon) said the proposal was overloaded with unnecessary taxes and spending. Others agreed.

"When you talk to regular folks, they say they love New Jersey but it's too expensive," said Assemblyman Guy Gregg (R-Morris). "This budget continues that. I think that's tragic as it relates to the average middle-class New Jerseyan."

Senate Democrats had sided with Corzine, but Codey played the role of negotiator between the governor and Assembly speaker. Codey acknowledged the compromise could have been reached 10 days ago, avoiding the showdown and the shutdown.

"It's a fair criticism, but we struggled to find a new wrinkle to put into it, to make it attractive for the Assembly, to join on with us," he said. "That was the problem."

'UNFORTUNATE'

Roberts, who became speaker in January, said he was gratified by the outcome and pleased that property tax reform became a cornerstone of the budget deal.

"We should have all tried to resolve this earlier, and we clearly did try," he said. "It's unfortunate that it took this set of difficulties to get here, but I think this is a very, very fair resolution, good for the state and good for the taxpayers."

Corzine said the outcome was not perfect. He called the deal "a halting first step" and said more changes are needed to prevent the crisis from recurring.

"This absolutely must not happen again," he said. "Our budget process and procedure are flawed and we have an obligation to fix them."

Staff writers Josh Margolin, Susan K. Livio, Tom Hester, Margaret McHugh, Kate Coscarelli and Dunstan McNichol contributed to this report.


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