NJEA responds to Christie's heavy criticism
Governor's administration takes their shots at state teachers union
BY TOM HESTER SR.
NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM
Under public pressure from Gov. Chris Christie to renegotiate contracts with local school boards and being accused by him as part of the problem of high education costs and not part of the solution, the 200,000-member state teachers' union criticized him in return Friday.
New Jersey Education Association President Barbara Keshishian said Christie has chosen the welfare of residents who earn over $400,000 annually over full school funding for the benefit of children.
"The choice could not be more stark: tax cuts for millionaires, or full school funding for New Jersey kids,'' Keshishian said. "Just a few weeks into his term Governor Christie has staked out his position, slashing nearly $1.5 billion from state aid to schools and higher education.
"At the same time, he has rejected out of hand any consideration of reinstating a very modest tax on the very wealthiest New Jersey residents, those making more than $400,000 per year,'' she said. "Last year, that surcharge generated nearly $1 billion in revenue for the state, enough to close much of the hole that his reckless budget opened in local school budgets.''
In an effort to present a balanced $29.3 billion 2010-11 state budget, Christie has proposed cutting $819 million in school aid, $446 million in local government aid, and $170 million in aid to colleges. The budget proposal is expected to spark an average property tax hike of $250.
"Those two decisions - to slash funding for schools and to deliver generous tax cuts for the super wealthy - are so far out of the mainstream in New Jersey that the governor is attempting to distract New Jerseyans from the real issue,'' Keshishian said. "For the last several days, his distraction of choice has been to attack teachers and school employees, claiming that we - not his misguided priorities — are the reason that schools face deep and painful cuts that are going to hurt kids.
"I understand politics, and I understand Governor Christie's tactics,'' Keshishian said. "If I were cutting funds from schools to provide tax cuts to the wealthy, I'd be looking for a distraction too. I wouldn't want people focusing on the consequences for students and I wouldn't want people asking why millionaires get a pass when everyone else is being asked to share in the sacrifice. I wouldn't want to answer for why teachers and staff will be laid off, why class sizes will go up, why academic programs will be cut, or why valuable extracurricular activities will be cut. I wouldn't want to have to justify slamming doors in the faces of college students who just want to get the training and education they need to prepare for today's jobs and help grow our economy back to health.''
Keshishian described Christie as a shrewd politician who is using political tactics to impose his agenda o