Quality Public Education for All New Jersey Students

 

 
     1-12-10 Moving on...'Budget plan a wrinkle for districts'
     1-11-10 Transition News
     1-5-10 GSCS: Update on January 4 Lame Duck Session
     1-6-10 Race to the Top Plans on the move, not without conflict
     12-27-09 'New Jersey competes for education reform stimulus money' (aka 'Race to the Top' funds)
     12-23-09 Gannett article provides details on Gov. Corzine's proposal to use additional surplus in place of state aid
     12-23-09 GSCS: Governor Corzine targets excess school surplus to replace state aid payments starting in Feb '10 - lame duck legislation anticipated
     10-20-09 REMINDER: Commissioner Davy to be at 10-28 GSCS meeting in Atlantic City
     9-13-09 As an issue for N.J.(Gubernatorial election), schools are in'
     7-22-09 'State gives extra aid for schools an extraordinary boost'
     6-19-09 a.m. GSCS 'Quick' FYI - State Budget Vote delayed to Thursday, June 25
     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
     6-10-09 Education Week on Abbott Decision
     6-9-09 COMMENTARY on Supreme Court Abbott school funding decisio
     5-27-09 GSCS 18th ANNUAL MEETING - All INVITED GUESTS HAVE CONFIRMED, INCLUDING GOVERNOR CORZINE
     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
     3-29-09 Record Editorial on Judge Doyne recommendations
     3-16-09 EMAILNET
     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
     2-19-09 Federal stimulus - information re: Education funding in 'State Fiscal Stabilization' part of the package
     1-16-09 Today's news notes state budget waiting on Obama stimulus package
     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
     12-23-08 Governor faces hard choices in the New Year
     12-21-08 GSCS EMAILNET - Excerpts
     11-18-08 Ledger Online & 11-19 Star Ledger headline news
     11-18-08 Supreme Court decides in favor of Abbott districts re new school funding law
     11-5-08 Gov. Corzine U.S. Treasury Secretary?
     11-5-08 Governor Corzine candidate for Secretary of U.S. Treasury per Ledger report
     Conversation with the Commissioner in Atlantic City
     Education Commissioner Lucille Davy at GSCS Open Mtg 10-29 in A.C.
     9-24-08 Supreme Court hearing on constitutionality of School Funding Reform Act
     8-29-08 'Newly hired teachers benefit from Corzine delay'
     12-3-07 As details become clearer on the new funding plan, GSCS will report on its emerging position
     11-20-07 RELEASE OF NEW SCHOOL FUNDING FORMULA LIKELY TO BE DELAYED UNTIL AFTER THE THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY
     11-16-07 Governor Corzine's remarks on school funding to League of Municipalities
     11-8-07 Governor & Legislative leadership agree to take up - and pass - funding formula in Lame Duck
     10-23 Media reports & Trenton responses to date re GSCS Press Conf
     9-29-07 The New York Times - Patience with Corzine Wears Thin
     10-10-07 Key Questions for Legislative Candidates
     10-12-07 Coach Corzine's tactic to win the game? Punt
     In the news - Corzine on school aid formula & good news for urban schools
     9-13-07Corzine adds school aid to the lame-duck agenda
     8-10-07 'Standing 'O' greets Corzine as he hosts town hall mtg'
     8-1-07 'Paterson isn't ready to gain control' & 7-29 'The Numbers still don't add up'
     4-4-07 News articles, editorial & Op-Ed on bill signings for A1 and A4
     3-25-07 New York Times on NJ Comparative Spending Guide, more on Gov putting off signing A1, Tax Caps & Rebate bill
     3-22-07 THINGS CHANGE...Governor Corzine delays A1 becoming law
     3-21-07 The Tax Cap-Credit bill, A1, can become law by Friday without Governor's signature
     3-1-07 Emerging Devil showing up in the details
     2-23-07 News Articles re Gov's Budget Proposal
     2-22-07 GSCS EMAILNET re Gov's Budget Message
     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
     2-12-07 State School Aid - needed to offset property taxes now
     2-9-07 GSCS EMAILNET MEMBER FYI on Trenton legislation Action
     2-8-07 News artiles-editorial re Gov's annoucnement that there will not be a new school funding formula for FY0708
     2-7-07 School funding, school audits - need for new formula underscored
     2-6-07 Trenton Update - S19 Super Supt passes Senate; Tax Cap bill stalled; No funding formula in FY0708
     2-1-07 Turnpike for sale, Gov - need funding formula, more
     1-30-07 'Is Property Tax Plan Legal?'
     1-30-07 Tax Caps bill, A1, passes Assembly late last night
     1-25-07 GSCS: No School Aid = No Real Tax Relief...again
     1-24-07 Quinnipiac Poll & School Construction woes for Corzine
     1-21-07 Gannett article on 'property tax credit, annual cap vote due'
     Trenton Update Jan 9-Jan 15, Gov's State of the State, more
     1-8-07 Articles & Editorial talk about 'missing pieces' of tax reform proposal and note consequences
     1-7-06 GSCS & HARD CAPS & IMPORTANT PIECES OF THE PUZZLE STILL MISSING
     GSCS RESOLUTION FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS 2007
     1-5-07 Small-town officials protest consolidation
     1-2-07 GSCS New Year's Resolution
     12-19-06 Feedback - articles on school funding hearings yesterday
     12-18-06 Sunday editorials - take of Property Tax session
     12-15-06 EMAILNET Bills Held!
     12-11-06 Trenton is in disarray - read news clip
     12-8 & 12-9 News clips on Trenton machinations...
     11-19-06 Sunday Press Articles & Commentaries
     11-16-06 Governor Corzine's speech on Property Tax Address to League of Municipalities
     11-10-06 NJ education chief vows urban support
     11-11-06 EMAILNET Special Session Legislative Committees report Nov. 14 or 15
     11-9-06 Public hearing on school consolidation tonight, 7 pm, at Freehold Borough Chambers, 51 Main St
     11-9-06 Public hearing on school consolidation tonight, 7 pm, in Freehold
     11-6-06 The need for special education funding to stay as a 'categorical' aid based on each students disability is real
     11-4-06 Senate President & Assembly Speaker 'no new taxes'
     10-25-06 Details on Corzine Administration's new funding formula starting to emerge
     10-5-06 EMAILNET
     10-5-06 Conversation on school funding, consolidation continues
     School Construction: Third Report to Governor by Interagency Working Group
     9-15-06 Star Ledger & AP - 3.25B suggested for school construction
     9-15-06 Star Ledger - 3.25B suggested for school construction
     August 2006 on - GSCS NOTEBOARD ON SPECIAL SESSION Committee meetings
     7-29-06 School Funding formula draws mixed reactions
     7-28-06 Gov to legislature: make history, cut taxes
     7-27-06 Trenton begins its move to address property taxes
     7-16-06 Lead economists address NJ's economy downswing
     7-12-06 Column on State Budget legislator items
     7-14-06 EMAILNET
     7-12-06 It's Official - Governor appoints Lucille Davy as Education Commissioner
     7-11-06 Talk of Special Session on Property Tax Reform
     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 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 Mirroring the elements, State Budget looking like a 'natural disaster'
     6-15-06 Star Ledger, Gannet articles- Abbott advocates demand school reform at educ. dept
     6-12-06 EMAILNET - Extraordinary Special Education student aid; FY07 Budget 'crunch' is on; news clips
     6-6-06 Legislative Leaders announce initial plans for property tax reform
     5-16-06 EMAILNET Action in Trenton
     5-10-06 A Lot is going on - Major News fromTrenton
     Gubernatorial Candidates' Education Plans announced September 05
     Governor Corzine takes steps towards major policy initiatives.
     4-8-07 Corzine Administration files brief with Supreme Court re Abbott funding
     4-7-07 The Record
     3-29-06 EMAILNET State Budget FY07 Hearings Update
     3-28-06 GSCS testimony before Assembly Budget Comm today
     3-24-06 EMAILNET FYI Update on Gov Corzine's Budget FY07
     3-23-06 Corzine says some Abbotts can raise taxes
     3-16-06 Gannett Press: Corzine wants to raise taxes, slash $2B
     Governor's Budget message 1 pm 3-21-06
     3-15-06 News articles on FY07
     3-10-06 Star Ledger 'Time is ripe for poorer districts to contribute.
     3-9-06 Governor speaks to S1701 at town meeting
     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
     12-14-05 Asbury ParkPress Editorial 'Re-assess the ABC's of School Funding' notes the Governor's role is critical in making positive change occur
     Gubernatorial, Assembly District by District, County and Municipal voting breakdowns-results & formats for November 8 elections
     2-2-06 GSCS HEADS UP re probable delay of Governor's Budget Message
     Governor Corzine's Transition Team Reports
     1-19-06 EMAILNET Quick Facts, On the Homepage Today
     1-19-06 News Articles Trenton Times, The Record, Star Ledger
     1-18-06 Star Ledger
     Governor Corzine- Inaugural Address
     1-15-06 The Record 2 Sunday Articles anticipating top issues confronting the Corzine administration
     1-11-06 Star Ledger - Corzine Casts Wide Net for Cabinet
     12-14-05 Asbury ParkPress Editorial 'Re-assess the ABC's of School Funding'
     12-5-05 Governor-elect Corzine selects policy advisory groups
     11-20-05 Sunday Star Ledger 'Corzine's risky promise to taxpayers
     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
     November 9 The Trenton Times - Corzine Triumphs
     9-9-05 Trenton Times,Corzine Education Agenda
November 9 The Trenton Times - Corzine Triumphs

CORZINE TRIUMPHS

Wednesday, November 09, 2005
By TOM HESTER JR.
Staff Writer

Achieving a triumphant but expensive leap from the U.S. Senate's ornate chambers to the State House's golden dome, Democrat Jon Corzine was elected governor yesterday to cap a bruising campaign that assures Democrats continued state government domination.

With almost all votes counted, Corzine had 53.5 percent of the vote, defeating Republican Doug Forrester, who received 43.2 percent, in the costliest and likely meanest election in New Jersey history.

"I love you, and that's the fact, and I am deeply appreciative to all of you and the people of New Jersey because we stood up for what is right," Corzine told supporters gathered in East Brunswick for a victory celebration last night.

Corzine's win focuses attention on his ambitious agenda of property tax, education, ethics and health-care reform and economic growth centered on state ports and embryonic stem cell research. He pledged yesterday to implement his promises.

"We can change the way the public business is done in New Jersey," Corzine said.

A reserved Forrester, standing with his family, conceded defeat shortly before 10 p.m. in Plainsboro.

"I'm here to encourage Senator Corzine," Forrester said.

He offered to help Corzine "in any way that he sees fit, to carry out what I believe is an important public task of healing New Jersey, bringing New Jersey together, of giving New Jersey that brighter future we spoke of in this campaign."

Corzine enjoyed a healthy lead most of the night as votes were being counted.

Republicans, exuding confidence throughout yesterday, seemed astonished that Forrester - who trailed by 4 to 9 points in public opinion polls in the closing days - proved uncompetitive.

Sen. Diane Allen, R-Edgewater Park, described the numbers as "a much wider margin than I would ever expect."

"It's very tough when you get outspent by so many millions," Allen said of Forrester's defeat.

-- -- --

But even as Republicans vowed the gap would close, Corzine's advantage widened to double-digits as he enjoyed huge margins in several counties throughout the state, especially Camden, Essex, Hudson, Middlesex and Union.

Corzine also proved competitive in places Republicans hoped to make gains, such as Bergen County, and Corzine won 57 percent of the vote in Mercer County, which is Forrester's home turf.

"The tone of the campaign in the final three weeks turned a lot of people off," said Morris County Freeholder John Murphy, a Republican who lost to Forrester in the GOP primary. "The question is: Did it move them to support Senator Corzine or did it move them to stay home?"

Corzine's victory became apparent about 90 minutes after the polls closed. His margin proved similar to public opinion polls released immediately after the June primaries.

Corzine's win came after Democrats mounted what they boasted was the most intensive get-out-the-vote effort in state history.

Corzine will succeed Richard J. Codey, a Democrat who became acting governor in November 2004 when James E. McGreevey resigned amid a gay sex scandal.

Codey considered running for governor but bowed to the wealthy Corzine's money and party organizational support and endorsed Corzine.

Corzine will become the state's 52nd governor and his win in the bruising gubernatorial race will open a U.S. Senate seat.

Corzine will resign from that seat, which he has held since January 2001, when he moves into the governor's office in January.

Yesterday brought to a close a campaign in which Corzine and Forrester spent at least $72 million, much of it their own money. Corzine outspent Forrester 2-1 in the general election campaign.

Corzine, 58, who spent about $65 million of his money to win his U.S. Senate position, spent about $40 million this time. He's wealthy from his days as Goldman Sachs chairman, a post he held from 1994 to 1999.

Most of the candidates' spending was on television ads, many of them negative. Most noteworthy was a late Forrester ad that featured a critical quote from Corzine's ex-wife about Corzine, an ad that prompted Corzine to run ads alleging a smear campaign and tying Forrester to President Bush.

Forrester's ad highlighted a quote from The New York Times by Corzine's ex-wife, who said Corzine "let his family down, and he'll probably let New Jersey down too."

-- -- --

But Corzine - who rounded up late support yesterday from union workers in Edgewater Park and Hamilton - spent the final days continuing to tout detailed plans he unveiled throughout the year.

Democrats last night argued the ad backfired on Forrester.

"Jon had a desire to talk about the issues but the campaign spiraled out of control," said Assemblywoman Bonnie Watson Coleman, D-Ewing, chairwoman of the Democratic State Committee. "The Republicans engaged in character assassination."

Citing the campaign's attack ads, Corzine thanked voters for "rejecting the Bush-Rove tactics."

"It's bad for politics and it's bad for New Jersey and it ought to be stopped in its tracks and we did that in New Jersey," Corzine said.

He asked supporters to put the campaign behind them.

"Let's move forward for the sake of our children in this great state," Corzine said.

With his plans in tow, Corzine's move to the governor's office will be much anticipated.

He has promised to increase property tax rebates 10 percent per year, to call the Legislature into special session early next year to consider property tax reform and to push a proposal through the Legislature to ask voters to convene a constitutional convention to consider property tax reform.

He has vowed to insure the health of 766,000 uninsured New Jerseyans and implement a host of other health-care reforms for just $15 million.

He repeatedly touted his plan to institute tough new ethics reforms, including an elected state comptroller and a ban on campaign contributions from government contractors at all government levels.

While he will deal with a Democratic Senate and Assembly, both houses previously have failed to consider many of the same proposals espoused by Corzine, which could pose a problem.

Corzine, though, has pledged to use his "political capital" to get his plans into law.

-- -- --

Corzine also faces tough budgeting decisions, with public employee pension, transportation project, school construction and higher education funding among the ominous hurdles.

Celebrating at the East Brunswick Hilton last night, Corzine promised to tackle the challenges.

"We can make a difference in people's lives," he said.

But besides public policy issues, Corzine's relationships with influential Democratic Party bosses will be closely watched.

He has vowed to be independent, though Forrester spent the campaign trying to convince voters Corzine would be no different than tainted Democrats.

Corzine tried to position himself as unconnected to Democratic Party troubles and said last night he would prove his independence.

"Public service is about serving the public," Corzine said. "Nothing else."

The loss was a bitter defeat for Forrester, a former West Windsor mayor. It's his second election defeat, having lost a 2002 U.S. Senate bid. This was an expensive loss for Forrester, who spent about $30 million of his own money on the campaign.

Forrester spent much of the campaign pitching a plan to constitutionally require the state to pay 30 percent of the property taxes on each primary home and ethics reforms, but he also struggled to hold Republicans together among charges he wasn't running a conservative enough campaign.

Forrester is expected to return to his businesses, Benecard Services, a Lawrence-based pharmacy benefits management company, and Heartland Fidelity Insurance Co., created solely to insure Benecard clients.

-- -- --

Democrats are expected to jockey for Corzine's U.S. Senate seat. Just the possibility the seat could open with a Corzine gubernatorial win initiated a competition of sorts among Democrats in recent months, with Reps. Robert Menendez, D-Union City; Frank Pallone, D-Long Branch; Rob Andrews, D-Haddon Heights, and Rep. Rush Holt, D-Hopewell Township, among the rumored contenders. Codey also has been mentioned often.

U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J., said he expected to be involved in choosing Corzine's successor.

"I'll have an opinion, but I want to listen to Jon's thoughts," Lautenberg said.

Menendez was the first to congratulate Corzine, putting out a statement at 9:41 p.m.

"Jon Corzine ran a campaign of ideas, and the voters embraced his plans to make our state safer and more affordable for all of its citizens," Menendez said.

Corzine will become the third U.S. senator from New Jersey to leave the Senate to become governor, the first since A. Harry Moore in 1938.

This is also the first time Democrats have won consecutive gubernatorial elections since 1973 and 1977, when Brendan Byrne won his first and second terms. NOTE: Staff writers Mark Perkiss and Tracey Regan contributed to this report.

NOTE: Contact State House bureau chief Tom Hester Jr. at thester@njtimes.com or at (609) 777-4464.