Bret Schundler: The State Just Does Not Have The Money To Fulfill Its Obligations

(TLS file photo of Bret Schundler with Ralph Zucker and Mark Siegal at the recent SCHI Dinner) As school districts around the state brace themselves for expected cuts in state aid, acting education Commissioner Bret Schundler brought his tough-on-unions, grim-on-the-economy message to anxious officials at a town hall meeting this morning in Harrison. Schundler, who is expected to be confirmed in the next legislative session, told about 150 school board members and administrators hosted by the New Jersey School Boards Association at Harrison High School that districts likely will get less state aid next school year. “The state just does not have the money to fulfill its obligations,” Schundler said.

Last year, the state benefited from a one-time infusion of more than $1 billion in stimulus funds, Schundler noted.

Joined by state Senator Teresa Ruiz (D-Essex), chair of the Senate Education Committee, and Assemblywoman Mila Jasey (D-Essex), who serves on the Assembly Education Committee, Schundler laid the blame for further belt-tightening on the economic meltdown, but added that the crisis has brought long-simmering systemic problems to a head.

“We’re not looking at school districts as the problem,” Schundler said. “We’re looking at what’s happening in Trenton as the problem.”

Schundler said difficult economic times have created a window of opportunity to implement dramatic changes, including revising tenure laws and requirements for school employees to pay into their health care.

“That is exactly the conflict we’re going to have this year,” Schundler said.

Schundler repeatedly acknowledged the difficulty faced by school districts limited by contractual obligations and state mandates. Administrators acknowledged they will have to dip into emergency funds and make painful choices, including layoffs.

“People are beyond stressed,” said Eva Nagy, president of the Franklin Township school board in Somerset County. “Here are my two hands — which one do you want me to cut off? It’s that painful.”

Brian Fogelson, superintendent of the North Warren Regional School District in Warren County, said his district of some 1,100 students cut its budget to the bone so it wouldn’t rely heavily on state aid. But because of that, even a small cut would be brutal.

“We’re a little district that tries to be as frugal as we can,” Fogelson said. “We’re being punished for doing a good job. They call it surplus. We call it planning ahead.” Star Ledger.