Common Sense For New Hampshire

From Space Aliens!

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Coast Star reporter Haley Behre does a pretty good job of covering my Q&A with Christie:

Belmar resident Dave Schneck followed up Mr. Toman’s question with another one focusing on education. This time, though, the question focused on the school funding formula the state Supreme Court ruled on for the Abbott districts.

Mr. Schneck asked if there is a path the governor could take to “ignore an unconstitutional action” made by the state Supreme Court regarding school funding other than waiting for the opportunity to change the people on the state Supreme Court.

The governor said he has tried.

In the Abbott II [1990] decision, the NJ Supreme Court found the education provided to urban school children inadequate and unconstitutional. In this and subsequent rulings, the court ordered remedies to assure these children a constitutional education. The remedies include standards-based education supported by adequate foundation funding; supplemental K-12 programs; universal preschool education; school facilities improvements and accountability measures.

In 2011, the state Supreme Court ordered the state to increase aid to the Abbott districts by $500 million.

“They [state Supreme Court] rewrote the budget that the legislature approved and the governor signed. It is outrageous,” Gov. Christie said.

This year, New Jersey will spend $12.9 billion from the state budget on public schools — a record amount — of which 63 percent will go to 31 school districts, he said. The other 37 percent will go to the other 550 school districts.

“If you don’t let them know that 63-37 split for 31 districts and 550 districts is unconstitutional, then they’re going to keep doing it everybody,” he said.

This was the same answer he’s given before about this issue and I find it not very satisfying.

I don’t have a lot of time to write about this right now because I’m supposed to be working, but the state Constitution says that the legislature decides spending policy with the governor’s approval and that the monies collected from the state income tax are be spent for the equal benefit of all students.  Christie agreed totally with me that the state supreme Court is violating the Constitution.  As long as this continues, suburban taxpayers are being hosed.  This is one of the primary drivers of our state’s outward migration.

Christie, in his oath of office, swore to defend the state Constitution.  Well constitutions don’t come under attack from space aliens.  They come under attack from government, on this occasion the state Supreme Court.

Christie wants to wait until he can get more Republicans elected to the Legislature so he can get his Supreme Court nominees through.  Since when is enforcement of the Constitution supposed to depend on who wins elections?  Christie!  Defend the Constitution!  Now!  We can’t wait to change the court!

The Supreme Court doesn’t have an army.  They don’t even have a police force.  What are they going to do?  Shake a piece of paper at you?

Christie has said that he wanted to avoid starting a constitutional crisis.  I say the crisis already exists and it was started by the court.  And every week when the state income tax is deducted from my paycheck the crisis continues.