Mark S. Klein

53 Turnberry Drive

Monroe Twp., NJ 08831

June 27, 2016

The Honorable Governor Chris Christie

Office of the Governor

PO Box 001

Trenton, NJ 08625

Dear Governor Christie,

Congratulations, finally a great State School Funding Plan that is fair to ALL districts. As you know I have been fighting for our fair share of funding for the Monroe Twp Board of Education for over eight years to no avail. Your plan is similar to what I suggested six years ago and is fair to all districts.

As I said in the past, all children no matter where they live are worth the same. Since the first Abbott Decision the State feels that only the children in the 31 Abbott Title One districts count. Well now after 30 years of over funding these 31 districts, $100’s of billions have gone down the drain because they are still failing, while towns like Monroe Twp are forced to over tax the property owners to support their underfunded districts. We are being taxed out of homes.

The State Supreme Court MUST BE FORCED TO CHANGE THE FORMULA it is unfair to the children and taxpayers in over 500 districts. Based on past actions of the State Supreme Court in favor of the Newark Education Law Center they WILL bring suit when the funding is cut for the 31 districts; “So What”! The funding formula set by the Court has failed and the State must fight against the Newark Education Law Center and must prevail.

Now we find that the Democrats refuse to support your plan so of course there will be no bi- partisan support for your plan. Another excuse given is that if the funding is cut to the 31 districts, the elected officials of those districts will vote against it and bring it to the Supreme Court and the Court will rule the cut is unconstitutional as they did a few years ago when you wanted to cut some of their funding. So if the cuts are unconstitutional than the State Supreme Court is in violation of Section III paragraph 1 & 2 of the State Constitution for Free Public Education for ALL residents of N.J. ages 5 through 18 and that the State Legislature is responsible for setting aside the funds to pay for free public education. In Monroe Twp the residents are paying 97% for the cost of education, THAT IS NOT FREE PUBLIC EDUCATION as stated in the State Constitution.

Lastly, a few weeks ago I spoke with Senator Sweeney at the Mayors breakfast and he told me of his plan for more funding that could mean $2 million more to our district. That amount means nothing, increases in student count and increases in salaries each year, would eat it up next year. He stated “that one school district in his district was receiving 145% in state aid for their school district while another district was only receiving 65% of their budget”. Monroe receives 3%, yet you didn’t mention us in your press release. Why so much to one district. I asked what about the tremendous over funding of the 31 districts, his answer “Oh! We can’t override a Supreme Court Decision” WHY!!

Keep up the fight,

Mark S. Klein