BRICK TOWNSHIP BOE LEGISLATIVE ACTION CENTER

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BRICK TOWNSHIP BOE LEGISLATIVE ACTION CENTER

ISSUES LEGISLATIVE INFORMATION
ADVOCACY
Welcome to the Brick Township Board of
Educations Legislative Action Center. The
purpose of the site is to keep all stakeholders
informed about critical educational issues
affecting our community and to provide you with
resources and information to contact our state
and federal legislators. The board and our
administrators have been actively working on
behalf of our school district and community.
However, we can be more effective through
grassroots efforts voicing our concerns about
Federal and State unfunded mandates and a state
school funding formula that contains intended and
unintended negative consequences for our children
and community. The time is NOW. Please take a
few minutes to read the issues and let Trenton
and Washington hear what you have to say. We
have provided links to the issues, contact
information, voting records of representatives
and sample letters. You can let your voice be
heard through email, regular mail, or by
telephone. We will continue to update this site
with new information and legislative
issues. Together we WILL make a difference.
"I am only one, But still I am one. I cannot do
everything, But still I can do something And
because I cannot do everything I will not refuse
to do the something that I can do.
Helen Keller
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On January 8th the State Senate, by a narrow
margin passed THE SCHOOL FUNDING REFORM ACT OF
2008. THE GOVERNOR AND DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
CLAIM IT IS
Senator Ciesla, Assemblymen Wolfe and Holzaphel
voted AGAINST this unfair Funding Formula
NOT FOR THE CHILDREN AND COMMUNITY OF BRICK
The new funding formula classifies the District
as a wealthy community and not paying our fair
share for our childrens education. What do you
think and what are YOU going to do about it!!
ISSUES
Read About the Funding Formula
www.state.nj.us/education/sff/
http//www.state.nj.us/education/sff/reports/demo.
pdf
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BRICK TOWNSHIP BOE LEGISLATIVE ACTION CENTER
ISSUES LEGISLATIVE INFORMATION
ADVOCACY
How the Funding Formula Affects Our School
District
The state considers Brick Township to be a
wealthy community located in a wealthy County.
Based on our property values and tax rate, they
have concluded that we are NOT paying our fair
share for our childrens education. We are
currently spending below what the state has
calculated to be the Adequacy Spending Level for
educating students in elementary, middle school,
and high school. Despite this fact, they have
limited our districts increase to 2 for three
years and threaten to take 16 million dollars in
state aid away from us in the fourth year of the
funding formula. Urban districts with upwards of
15,000 per pupil spending costs, were held to 2
increases. Last year the school district of
Newark received 400 million in state aid. We
received 38 million. They are complaining they
need more. Our per pupil spending cost is
9,100!! DOES THIS MAKE ANY SENSE? Is this
Constitutional? The District will only receive
funding for 14 of our 18 special education
student population. School districts with less
than a 14 special education classification rate
will still receive 14!! In plain English this
means that some districts will receive aid for
students they dont have while other districts
such as ours, will NOT receive aid for children
we DO have. The State and the Federal government
do not consider the impact of unfunded mandates.
Five years of flat state funding under the old
CIEFA formula resulting in increased local tax
share, a 4 cap, under funded extraordinary state
aid for Special Education, under funded Federal
aid for IDEA programs and NCLB and the Governor
still believes we are NOT paying enough!!!! We
need to send Trenton a Message.
CLICK
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BRICK TOWNSHIP BOE LEGISLATIVE ACTION CENTER
ISSUES LEGISLATIVE INFORMATION
ADVOCACY
ISSUES
WHAT DO SCHOOL FUNDING FORMULAS AND TOLL ROAD
INCREASES HAVE TO DO WITH EACH OTHER? PLENTY IF
YOU LIVE IN ZIP CODES 08724 AND 08723. THE
GOVERNOR AND THE COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION DONT
THINK WE ARE PAYING OUR FAIR SHARE.
CLICK HERE TO READ THE ASBURY PARK PRESS
EDITORIAL DONT TAKE CORZINE TOLL ROAD HIKE
SITTING DOWN
Become An Advocate For Our Community
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BRICK TOWNSHIP BOE LEGISLATIVE ACTION CENTER
ISSUES LEGISLATIVE INFORMATION
ADVOCACY

• To Send An E-Mail to Our Legislators
• Click on the link to the legislators information
  page. Click on contact. Click Here for
  Addresses
• We have provided a letter that you can cut and
  paste into the body of your email. You can
  customize the letter to reflect your personal
  opinion or you can send it as it is written.
• Sign your email and include your name and
  address.
• Send the email and repeat the process for other
  legislators
• To Make Telephone Calls
• Remember that telephone calls are usually taken
  by a staff member, not the legislator. Ask to
  speak with the aide who handles the issue about
  which you wish to comment.
• After identifying yourself, tell the aide you
  would like to leave a brief message, such as
  "Please tell Senator/Representative (Name) that I
  support/oppose Bill Number___.
• You will also want to state reasons for your
  support or opposition to the bill. Ask for your
  legislators position the bill.

Sample Letter School Funding Formula
Read Superintendent Melindo Persis testimony to
the Senate Education Committee
Read What Our 10th District Representatives Had
to Say About the School Funding Formula
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BRICK TOWNSHIP BOE LEGISLATIVE ACTION CENTER
ISSUES LEGISLATIVE INFORMATION
ADVOCACY
10TH District Representatives
Federal Representative
Congressman Christopher Smith Address 2373
Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC
20515 Email http/chrissmith.house.gov Website
www.chrissmith.house.gov
Senator Andrew Ceisla Address 852 Highway
70, Brick, NJ  08724 Telephone [phone] Email/
website www.njleg.state.nj.us/members/BIO.asp?Le
g30
Senator Robert Menedez Address 317 Hart Senate
Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Email
http/menendez.senate.gov Website
www.menendez.senate.gov
Assemblyman David Wolfe Address 852 Highway
70, Brick, NJ  08724 Telephone [phone] Email/
website www.njleg.state.nj.us/members/BIO.asp?Le
g31
Senator Frank Lautenberg Address 324 Hart Senate
Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Email
http/lautenberg.senate.gov Website
www.lautenberg.senate.gov
Assemblyman James Holzapfel Address 852 Highway
70, Brick, NJ  08724 Telephone [phone] Email/
website www.njleg.state.nj.us/members/BIO.asp?Leg
144
Emails can be sent by clicking onto the website
and proceeding to contact information. You can
create your own letter or cut and paste sample
letters provided.
Governor Jon Corzine Website www.state.nj.us.gov
/governor
Voting Records
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BRICK TOWNSHIP BOE LEGISLATIVE ACTION CENTER
ISSUES LEGISLATIVE INFORMATION
ADVOCACY
SPOTLIGHT ON VOTING RECORDS
How our 10th District Legislators Voted
http//www.njleg.state.nj.us/members/roster.asp
How Our Senators Voted Votedwww.senate.gov/legis
lative/LIS/roll_call_lists/vote_men How
Congressman Chris Smith Voted http//clerk.house.g
ov/legislative/legvotes.html
To see how our legislators voted on the issues
click onto the website. You will be able to type
in a bill number.
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BRICK TOWNSHIP BOE LEGISLATIVE ACTION CENTER
ISSUES LEGISLATIVE INFORMATION
ADVOCACY
ADVOCACY INFORMATION
How A Bill Becomes A Law
This website will be updated every week. If you
have any comments, suggestions or would like to
notify us when you send a letter or make a call
please send us an email at CMCCARTHY_at_BRICK
SCHOOLS.ORG MPERSI_at_BRICKSCHOOLS.ORG
ON MARCH 6, 2008 OUR INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT,
MELINDO PERSI WILL BE TESTIFYING BEFORE THE
ASSEMBLY EDUCATION COMMITTEE. ON FEBRUARY 6,
2008 MAYOR ACROPOLIS SPOKE AT OUR WORK SESSION
AND STATED THAT THE TOWNSHIP WOULD PAY FOR
CHARTER BUSES TO BRING CONCERNED CITIZENS TO
TRENTON. THE BOARD OF EDUCATION ACCEPTS HIS
OFFER. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN RALLYING ON THE
STEPS OF THE STATE HOUSE IN SUPPORT OF OUR
CHILDREN AND COMMUNITY, PLEASE CONTACT CYNTHIA
MCCARTHY, BOARD PRESIDENT AT CMCCARTHY_at_BRICKSCHOOL
S.ORG.
Organizations the BOE Is Working With to Remedy
the Inadequacies of the Funding Formula
For additional information click on each site.
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Brick Township Public Schools Office of the
Superintendent of Schools Brick Township, New
Jersey, 08724 Testimony of Melindo A. Persi,
Interim Superintendent of Schools, Brick
Township, New Jersey before the Assembly Budget
/Education Committee, December 27, 2007. Good
morning, Allow me to introduce myself, Melindo
A. Persi, Interim Superintendent of Schools in
Brick Township, Ocean County, a k-12 school
district of 10,600 students with 14 schools, 2 of
which are ugroup A high schools. With me today is
Mr. James Edwards the School Business
Administrator/Board Secretary in Brick who will
also testify. For your information Jim is the
president elect of the New Jersey School Business
Officials Organization. As a point of
reference, I have been involvedin public
education in New Jersey for the past 52 years. I
have served as superintendent of schools in six
school districts served as the County School
Business Administrator in Morris and Warren
counties, served as the Passaic County
Superintendent of Schools, as Acting Assistant
Commissioner of Education in charge of County and
Regional Services, assisted in the writing of
legislation for the school take over law, served
as a team member in the state take over of the
Jersey Schools, led the state takeover of the
Paterson School District, served as Fiscal
Monitor of the East Orange School District when
the commissioner had taken over the fiscal
operation of that school district and have worked
in twelve of the counties of this great state. I
have worked in rural, suburban and urban school
districts and was one of the last persons to
testify in the case of Abbott vs. Burke. Last
year I was awarded the Distinguished Service
Award from the American Association of School
Administrators at its national conference on
education for my contributions to education. I
offer the forgoing to point to the fact that I am
familiar with the history of state school funding
and the plight of school districts in New Jersey.
I have lived through the closing of the public
schools in 1976 to the implementation of the
state sales tax, the state income tax, the state
lottery as all being cure ails for the support of
public schools. I submit to you as county
superintendent of schools I was acutely aware of
the fiscal needs of the urban school districts 25
years ago in that state funds were not adequately
and equitably distributed to the urban districts
and I was a proponent of equitable distribution
of state funds to those urban districts. At this
point I want to clearly state that the inequity
of distribution of state funds has now shifted
from the urban districts being penalized to the
reverse, in that many other school districts are
being funded at approximately 30 while the urban
districts are being funded at approximately 85 to
90. Many school districts like Brick Township
had been flat funded since the year 2000 and have
been consistently rated as one of the lowest
spending districts in the state. Let me focus at
this point upon the apparent damage that will
occur to the Brick Township Schools if the
proposed funding formula is adopted. Click
Here to Continue Reading This Message
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Given the proposed state aid formula, it is our
judgment that the district is on the horns of a
financial dilemma that can only be described as
"Catch 22". Previously, it has been reported by
the NJ Education Law Center that the district
budget has been under funded over the years by
some 23M. The 23M relates to the district
adequacy budget, as defined by the Department of
Education. This has come about from a pattern of
developing school district budgets that have been
consistently below the recommended cap level,
which resulted in modest increases in the tax
levy for school purposes. At this point due to
existing laws, the tax levy increase for school
purposes is capped at 4. This translates into a
3,385,937 increase in the tax levy for school
purposes for the 2008-2009 school year. (It
should be noted that the amount required to meet
the negotiated contract agreements for 2008-2009
represents an increase of 3,200,000 ."CATCH
22 . With respect to the proposed formula,
the factors contained in the formula that impact
upon the amount that a district is eligible
include (1) the wealth of the community, (2) the
average income of residents, (3) the increase or
decrease in enrollment, (4) the percentage of
special education students, (5) a save harmless
clause and (6) an adjustment for geographic
region. With respect to the first item (Wealth
of District), the wealth of the district has
increased by 156 since 2000. Brick Township is
considered "Wealthy" by that standard, and
therefore has the "Ability to Pay." In fact, as
compared to 10 districts of similar size and
socio-economic status, the district ranks 15t out
of a total of 10 districts. This factor works
against receiving additional aid, and given the
tax cap, also precludes the district from raising
the tax levy to meet the needs of the
district. "CATCH 22 . Considering the
average income increase, the 55 increase in the
income for the district also precludes the
district from being considered "Needy worthy of
additional aid". A large portion of the community
houses senior citizens complexes, (15) of the
population, while this factor increases the
overall wealth of the community, it does not
increase the ability to pay, and the community is
penalized for the ratable base. Unfortunately,
the wealth is property wealth, while the income
of seniors does not increase by the same amount,
precluding their ability to Pay. "CATCH
22 Considering enrollment, the district has
experienced a decrease of 785 students since
2000, and therefore is not entitled to additional
aid due to growth under the formula, yet the
district is required to educate all 10,600 of its
students and receives no credit for the fact that
the comparative cost per pupil (9,191) is the
4th lowest spending district' of 103 districts,
as compared to districts of similar size.
According to a recent demographic study, the
enrollment will continue to decline to a low of
9,400 students for the school year 2011-2012, or
approximately 1000 students less than the current
year, due primarily to the reduction in live
births in the district. This factor will continue
to reduce the available aid as calculated by the
proposed formula. It should be noted that the
spending level can not be raised significantly
due to the cap on the tax levy and the minimal
increase in aid ."CATCH 22" .
Click to Continue Reading
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With respect to the special education
population, the district has been recognized for
its excellence in providing a quality special
education program and last year received a grant
of some 500,000 to provide staff development,
not only for the district staff, but for staff
members in other school districts. It has been
recognized by the National School Boards
Association for its special education program and
a feature article will appear in the March issue
of the National School Boards Journal.
Additionally, as a result of the award, the
Commissioner of Education visited the district
and praised the district for its efforts for this
segment of the student body population ...
..CATCH 22 The formula rewards those districts
having less than 14 of its population as
classified students. Since the district has
approximately 18 of the student body population
classified as special education students, the
formula will not fund approximately 4 of the
classified students. "CATCH 22" There is a
clause in the proposed law that guarantees "Save
Harmless" that in the event that a district will
receive less in state aid as generated by the
formula than it is currently receiving, the
district will receive "Save Harmless" Aid. In the
case of Brick Township, the estimated dollar
figure is 16M. That amount will be paid out in
each of the next three years, and then eliminated
from the aid package, which would mean that the
district would be required to raise that amount
in year 4, or reduce programs. Given the 4 cap
on the tax levy, the district would hardily be
able to raise that amount The formula includes an
adjustment for Geographic Region, and in the case
of Brick Township that adjustment is a negative
5.8, which negatively impacts upon the district.
(Morris County adjustment is 6.2!!) "CA TCH 22"
In summary, in every category iricluded in the
proposed formula, the district is at a loss.
Considering that some Abbott Districts are
spending at a level of over 15,000 per student,
and are slated to receive increased funding, I
submit that the "DE" Districts (Brick) are at the
same point that the Abbott district were 25 years
ago. It is a question of equity. It is now the
time for districts like Brick Township to be
brought up to a level playing field .The notion
that the formula will adequately fund each child
regardless of zip code is a fallacy and
inaccurate, and certainly is not for
08724/08723. Melindo A. Persi Interim
Superintendent of Schools
Back to How To Become An Advocate
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Senate Republican News CIESLA POSSIBLE BRICK
SCHOOL CLOSING AND BUDGET PROBLEMS THE RESULT OF
RUSHED LEGISLATION        Senator Andy Ciesla and
Assemblymen Dave Wolfe and Jim Holzapfel (all
R-10) responded to news that Brick Township is
considering the permanent closing of several
schools to address budget shortfalls that have
been exacerbated by a new school funding formula
that has provided only token increases in school
aid. The funding formula, which the tenth
district legislators voted against, was
introduced and approved by the Legislature in
just five days.     "The Corzine Administration
had promised vigorous debate to create a new
school aid formula to address the massive
inequities in aid sent to urban and suburban
schools," said Ciesla. "Instead of the careful
consideration that the Administration promised,
the 113-page school funding legislation was
provided to the Legislature on January 3rd and
brought to a final vote on January 7th, with
little of the promised debate."     Although
the new school funding formula provides every
district with a minimum 2 increase in state aid,
that minimum increase is temporary and was only
added to the plan as an incentive to leery
legislators. For many districts, however, state
aid will actually decline in three years when the
introductory 2 aid increases expire. Brick
Township was among the many municipalities that
received the minimum increase.     Wolfe noted
that Brick Township is consistently praised for
having one of the most cost-efficient school
districts in the state, spending just over 9,
000 annually per student.     "Other school
districts spend twice as much per student as
Brick with lesser results, yet they will be given
large aid increases while Brick Township will
likely lose state school aid as the new funding
formula fully kicks in," said Wolfe. "The budget
problems that Brick Schools are now facing from
the rushed formula will only get worse. The
Legislature must revisit the school funding
formula that was rushed from introduction to law
during the holiday season."     Holzapfel noted
that the current budget problems experienced by
Brick Schools are indicative of the negative
effects that are likely to occur when complex
plans, such as a school funding formula, are
rushed through the Legislature without the
provision of ample time for analysis and debate.
     "The school funding boondoggle that is now
threatening Brick residents parallels the
approach that Governor Corzine has taken to gain
approval for his ultra-complex toll hike scheme,"
said Holzapfel. "Most of the documents related to
the plan have still not been released by the
Governor, despite his expressed desire to have
the plan approved by the Legislature within the
next few weeks."     Ciesla renewed calls made
previously by Republican leaders for the Governor
to make public all documentation related to
monetization.     "Governor Corzine must
release all information that he has right now,
and provide the Legislature with sufficient time
to analyze the plan before any votes or hearings
are scheduled," said Ciesla.     Wolfe added,
"If the Governor proceeds with pushing through
the toll hike plan with the same secrecy that he
pushed through the school funding plan, local
residents will be stuck with another extremely
expensive bill.
Back to Issues
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Asbury Park Press Editorial February 1,
2008 Don't take Corzine toll hike plan sitting
down A portion of Gov. Corzine's Web site dealing
with his plan to jack up tolls on the state's
highways has a list of "Frequently Asked
Questions" from his Town Hall dog-and-pony shows.
The most important questions are missing. If you
are planning to attend one of the local Town Hall
meetings on Corzine's toll hike plan at 2 p.m.
Saturday at the Ritacco Center in Toms River (see
map and directions at right) or at 7 p.m. Monday
at Marlboro High School we have provided a list
of questions badly in need of answers in the
adjacent box. Clip it out and bring it with you
for easy reference. If you can't make either of
the meetings, pose the questions to Corzine by
phone or e-mail. Why should you care? Corzine's
plan would increase tolls on the Garden State
Parkway and New Jersey Turnpike fivefold in 10
years and eightfold in 14 years. Residents in
Ocean and Monmouth counties, who account for a
disproportionate share of toll road revenue,
would be hit particularly hard. Of the 10 ZIP
codes whose commuters generate the most E-ZPass
revenue on the Garden State Parkway, eight are in
Ocean or Monmouth counties. Toms River is No. 1
in the state and Brick is third. Others in the
top 10 are Forked River (Lacey), Howell,
Lakewood, Barnegat, Manahawkin (Stafford) and
Middletown. Ocean and Monmouth counties also are
home to seven of the top 20 toll
revenue-producing ZIP codes for the Parkway and
New Jersey Turnpike combined Toms River, Brick,
Matawan, Lakewood, Howell, Jackson and
Englishtown. Ocean and Monmouth would likely
dominate the top 10 in combined Parkway-Turnpike
toll revenue as well if the list excluded truck
traffic. The toll hikes in Ocean County, where
many people have opted for long commutes to their
jobs in Central and North Jersey and beyond in
return for lower housing costs, could have a
catastrophic impact on real estate
values. Corzine's attempts to convince the
electorate that his plan is sensible and fair
have failed. A Fairleigh Dickinson University
Public Mind poll released this week showed that
the overwhelming majority of New Jersey residents
remain opposed to it. This is one fight in which
everyone living in Ocean or Monmouth County
heavy toll-road user or not has a direct stake.
Don't count on your elected representatives to
fight it for you. If they have shown they are
willing to go to battle, do battle with them. If
not, hook up with an organization committed to
defeating the plan (see list below). Like-minded
citizens are everywhere. Corzine has been
courting every special-interest group he can
think of to help demonstrate his plan has broad
support. It does, among special-interest groups.
As the polls have demonstrated, it doesn't among
the average resident. The plan needs to be
stopped. Don't sit back and hope it happens. Help
stop it.
Back to Issues
14
MARCH 6, 2008
RALLY
FOR BRICK
Are you interested in marching on the steps of
the NJ Statehouse? More details to come in a few
days. Please check back..