Christie tells school districts to freeze teachers salaries and asks for voluntary agreement

From the Press of Atlantic City, March 23, 2010-Diane D'Amico, Education Writer

As a growing number of area public employees face layoffs driven by cuts in state aid, Gov. Chris Christie on Tuesday called on teachers to agree to voluntary wage freezes.

Southern New Jersey municipal governments and school districts are turning to layoffs to deal with tight budgets and a reluctance to raise property taxes.

Atlantic County has been particularly hard hit, with more than 500 job reductions already proposed, most affecting police, teachers and other staff in the county’s schools.

Northfield School District Superintendent Janice DeCicco Fipp said the message from the Board of Education was “save services to children, retain staff to the greatest extent, but please do not pass the burden on to taxpayers.” Six positions will be eliminated and local taxes will go up just 1.7 percent.

On Tuesday, Christie sent a letter to the New Jersey School Boards Association and the New Jersey Education Association asking them to approve wage freezes for 2010-11 and require employees to contribute 1.5 percent of their salaries to their health benefits plan.

In a letter to school superintendents, Education Commissioner Bret Schundler said the two provisions could save between $750 million and $800 million next year — about the same amount the state needs to make up for the $820 million not available in federal stimulus funds for schools this year.

The school boards association had already proposed a wage freeze, and spokesman Frank Belluscio said about 60 percent of district officials responding to a survey said they have discussed reopening contracts. Local reaction has been mixed.

A meeting Monday to reconsider staff cuts in Margate schools was canceled when the union declined to reopen its contract.

Galloway Township teachers are negotiating a new contract. Union President Ed Zimmerman said Monday a freeze would have to be discussed by the entire membership. The district’s budget eliminates or reduces the hours of 69 jobs.

NJEA President Barbara Keshishian said each district’s union can decide how to proceed, but that NJEA members “will not be bullied by this governor into paying for his misguided priorities.” The union supports reinstating for one year a tax on residents making more than $400,000. To read full article, click here.