BOE to Discuss Christie Budget Tonight

The Board of Education is preparing to discuss the impact of Gov. Chris Christie's proposed state budget tonight.

According to a report in today's Star-Ledger, the governor will propose this afternoon cuts to state aid to local school districts, equaling a five percent cut in total budgets. The direct impact on Westfield's school budget remains to be seen.

Emergency meetings have been taking place at the BOE's Elm Street headquarters today to develop a response plan to the governor's exact proposal. The Star-Ledger report said the cut would be equal to five percent of the current budget to be applied for next year. BOE officials have indicated the speech, being broadcast at 1 p.m. Tuesday afternoon will be widely watched within the school system.

BOE Business Administrator Robert Berman has said at previous board meetings, that the board is preparing for possible state aid cuts, equaling five, ten or fifteen percent. This was based on information state Education Commissioner Bret Schundler announced at a meeting of suburban school districts earlier this month in Summit. The five percent overall budget cut that is being included in Christie's budget was not expected by local school districts.

Last month, Christie announced that he was cutting $475 million in state education aid from the current budget, including from Westfield. This was done in response to a budget deficit in the current state budget. In response, Schools Superintendent Margaret Dolan announced a freeze on discretionary spending for the remainder of the current fiscal year.

The news out of Trenton comes on a day that the state teachers union is encouraging teachers statewide to wear red, in protest to what they are describing as Christie "bleeding teachers". The Westfield Education Association has sent out a letter to all district teachers encouraging them to wear red today. The WEA said the state union has indicated that teachers are also encouraged to wear red on Friday after Schundler announces official state aid numbers.

The National Education Association has been encouraging national solidarity among teachers for New Jersey educators today. An official of a statewide teachers union in the Midwest, told Westfield Patch that teachers unions nationwide have been encouraged to promote the wearing of red today and Friday.