A judge will rule on state’s efforts to ignore Newark union contracts
Superior Court Judge Donald Kessler has scheduled a hearing next Friday—Jan. 29—on efforts by the Newark Teachers Union (NTU) to block the unilateral decision by the Christie Administration to award the school district’s prescription benefits program to a politically-connected firm with ties to South Jersey political boss Donald Norcross III. The hearing will come just two days before Benecard Services, awarded the no-bid contract by state-appointed schools superintendent Christopher Cerf, is expected to begin processing claims.
The Newark school board also has tried—unsuccessfully—to block Cerf’s action. Cerf told school board members Tuesday night that he had a “management prerogative” to change the provider for a program worth some $15 million to $18 million annually and did not have to negotiate the change. He also berated board opponents of his actions, contending he was acting “ethically” and implying his critics were not.
“I don’t know where you stand but I stand with the children,” Cerf contended, eliciting some gasps and heckling from the small audience at the board’s monthly business meeting. He said the district needed money to close a budget deficit and that he was convinced the new provider would be less expensive than the old provider, GPP.
The insurance brokerage firm of Connor Strong Buckelew, run by Norcross, recommended Benecard Services, a company found by Republican political figure Douglas Forrester. Norcross’s businesses do much of the government insurance work in South Jersey where he also has become—with Christie–a champion of privatized charter schools.
The prescription benefits program is provided through the Newark school A judge will rule on state’s efforts to ignore Newark union contracts | Bob Braun's Ledger: