NJ Education Report

the head honchos in the Trenton office are hitting back fearlessly against Gov. Christie’s school aid cuts and the new pension and benefits reforms currently making their way through the Legislature. Here’s a radio ad that’s been running on 101.5 which berates Christie for “going back to the old Trenton ways of doing things” with “politicians blaming teachers” by “cutting school programs and raising property taxes.” And here’s the full-frontal assault on four bills that amount to “the Legislature…attempting to saddle working families with the burden of closing New Jersey’s budget gap.” The four bills cited are S-2, which would eliminate defined-benefit pension plans for future part-time employees”; S-3, which would require teachers to contribute 1.5% of their salaries towards benefits; S-4, which would cap sick leave compensation at $15,000; and SCR-1, which would allow the State to take 7 years to fully fund the pension fund.