Responding swiftly to Acting Governor Richard Codey's proposal to flat fund education in the FY06 budget, Education Law Center is calling on the Legislature to provide a state aid increase for all school districts. ELC is also urging the Acting Governor to abandon plans to ask the NJ Supreme Court to approve a virtual freeze on funding for the Abbott school districts.

"Whatever fiscal problems the State may have, the Legislature has to find a way to fund the basic aid increases required by the Abbott rulings and the state school funding law," said David Sciarra, ELC Executive Director. "A flat budget means substantial cuts in education programs and staff and another year of local property tax hikes statewide. It also would cut over $150 million in education programs in the Abbott districts, threatening the historic progress underway to improve our high poverty urban schools."

The Acting Governor's budget contains no state increase for almost all Abbott districts, far short of the $140 million necessary to fund the 3% minimum increase guaranteed in the Abbott regulations adopted by Education Commissioner William Librera last November. The budget contains no increase for the rest of the school districts across the state.

The Acting Governor has also indicated he may seek relief from the NJ Supreme Court, since the proposed budget clearly violates the education funding adequacy benchmarks established in the Abbott rulings.

"Rather than start yet another round of Abbott litigation, New Jersey's children would be better served if the Governor worked with us to ensure needed funding for all school districts," Mr. Sciarra stated.

Prepared: March 6, 2005