Newark’s school mystery–political theater or reality?
Christie–he tells Baraka Newark has enough moneyWhat is going on in Newark?
On Tuesday, the city’s mayor, Ras Baraka, blasted Gov. Chris Christie for an impending 6 percent local property tax increase because of hat he said was poor management of the state-operated school system, a criticism that provoked an angryresponse from Christie. Yet, just a day later, on Wednesday, the school board adopted the state regime’s $1 billion budget with the big tax increase still there, because, said its newly elected president, Antoinette Baskerville-Richardson, Baraka would come up with $9.6 million to fill the budget hole–and ultimately prevent the tax increase.
And how did this fiscal miracle come to pass? No one is saying.
Is this political theater–or reality?
Baraka tells the governor he’s responsible for tax increaseKeep in mind that the school board–officially entitled the Newark School Advisory Board–did not have to pass the state regime’s budget and its members Tuesday had said they wouldn’t. It could have rejected it, as it has in the past, or taken no action at all–which some board members wanted to do. But the board members apparently learned something the residents of the city did not–and, for the moment, at least, they’re not telling the people who elected them. They voted unanimously for the spending plan.
Baskerville-Richardson says she cannot comment on the budget mystery.
“I’ll be able to say more later,” she said, “but I can’t say anything now.”
Frank Baraff, Baraka’s press officer, also would not comment–except to say the $9.6 million Baraka promised to fill the budget hole without increasing taxes was Newark’s school mystery–political theater or reality? |: