Does the 2% Cap Matter to Schools?

by: Jersey Jazzman

Tue Jul 06, 2010 at 03:06:45 PM EDT

The NJEA comes out against the Sweeney-Christie 2% cap deal. But don't voters in most towns vote on school budgets anyway? Can't they still reject a budget below the cap?

So, fundamentally, what's different?

The NJEA put out a statement against the 2% Sweeney-Christie cap deal:

"As has happened so often in recent months, a critically important policy decision has been made in a rushed, secretive manner, with limited opportunity for careful study or public input. Moving so quickly is the height of irresponsibility; school and municipal budgets which will be affected by this legislation will not even be set until next year....

The consequences of this deal will be grave. It contains no exception for rising special education costs in local districts, so parents of students with special needs should prepare for fights with districts over the services their children need. It contains no exception for inflation, including the cost of fuel, textbooks or supplies. As school budgets, which have already been slashed this year, are stretched tighter, deeper cuts in staff and even larger class sizes are inevitable. Parents should prepare to see extracurricular programs eliminated and higher fees imposed on previously affordable activities.

This is a dark day for democracy and public education in New Jersey.”

Yeah, OK, except this: even if a district's budget is under the cap, the voters still get to vote on the budget - right?

So how is this different? The cap is arbitrary, isn't it? You have to go to the voters if your tax levy increases by 1% or 3%, don't you?

Am I missing something? Someone tell me, please.