State Budget News

During the next several days, the Governor and the Legislature will be working on a new budget for 2006-2007. NJEA is hopeful that those deliberations will result in a state budget before July 1, 2006. If that is not the case, we may ask you to contact some of your members to lobby legislators over the July 4th weekend.

We have made arrangements for our office to be “ready to assist” any emergency lobbying effort that might become necessary.

We ask that you do the following:

1. Check your email regularly. This will be the most efficient way to contact you.

2. Watch the news over the next few days with an eye on the NJ Statehouse. The news
seems to change by the minute.

We hope that the legislators do their job, and go home for a very nice weekend. However, we need to remain vigilant whenever pension funding and school aid are topics of discussion in Trenton.

Thank you.

PRIDE in Public Education

PRIDE packets were mailed to local presidents the week of June 12. If you haven't received your packet, use the "email me" link to the right, and we'll get another one out to you.

For those of you who are PRIDE veterans, remember, proposals are due 60 days prior to your first project. Submit your proposals while funds are available! Coming soon --- PRIDE forms will be available on the njea website, as well as this blogspot!

For those of you who are first timers -- Consider getting involved with your community and getting support for your local association and the passage of your school budget. If you'd like to participate in PRIDE but find it all a little confusing, we would be happy to assist you in organizing some creative projects. as well as with the submission of your proposals for funding. To request assistance, call the Region 3 office at 856-782-1225 or use the "email me" link to the right.

Press Release -- June 19 Pension Rally

The following press release was posted by NJEA's Communications Division following the Public Employee Rally on June 19. Thank you, Camden County, for pulling your weight in helping to save the $1.5 billion pension contribution that Governor Corzine promised in his budget!!!

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Over 10,000 public employees rally in Trenton for pensions
Turnout exceeds expectations as raucous rally spills into streets

Trenton – Chanting and cheering to the strains of Aretha Franklin’s “R.E.S.P.E.C.T” over ten thousand public employees – teachers, school support professionals, police officers, firefighters, nurses, state workers, retirees and others – flooded West State Street in Trenton today for a boisterous rally aimed at convincing legislators to support the $1.3 billion pension and benefits contribution contained in Governor Corzine’s proposed budget.
NJEA President Joyce Powell led off a slate of over 20 speakers, including labor leaders, rank-and-file members, several legislators from both parties and Governor Corzine. Powell noted that the current pension deficit is a bi-partisan problem. “I don’t blame one person or one party for the mess this state is in,” noted Powell. “Pension neglect was a problem when Republicans were in power, it was a problem when the parties shared power and it’s been a problem with Democrats in power. Four different governors, two Republicans and two Democrats, have presided over budgets that failed to fund our pensions.”
Powell then praised Governor Corzine for his “courageous” budget, which calls for the state’s first meaningful pension contribution in over a decade. “We finally have a Governor who is trying to be part of the solution. The Governor has proposed a good, responsible budget, a budget without gimmicks. It’s time for both parties to get behind him and make sure that budget gets passed,” exclaimed Powell, to roars of approval.
NJEA is working in coalition with other public employee groups to achieve passage of a responsible budget with adequate revenues and Governor Corzine’s full proposed pension contribution.

Public Employee Rally - June 19, 2006

Time: Noon to 2 p.m.

Where: Statehouse, Trenton, NJ

Why: To save the $1.5 billion pension contribution Governor Corzine promised
in his budget.

We need a large turnout of NJEA members to tell the legislature:

“A deal is a deal!!!”

Gather all the NJEA members you can and come to Trenton on
June 19th. This rally is in the planning stages. More information about parking, transportation and other logistics will follow soon.

Save the Date!