The NJSDA and Plainfield Schools

I attended a meeting with people from the 4th ward community of Plainfield as well as the New Jersey School Development Authority. It was a very helpful and informative meeting. With the help of the New Jersey Schools Development Authority, NJSDA, I was able to provide the community with information that in the past, they were not able to receive. The money to finish off the Cook School project as well as the Emerson School project is available. Although we recognized in Trenton there were a lot of problems, I would like to congratulate the new CEO, Kris Kolluri, who heads the NJSDA Corporation. We are now able to move forward with the 2008 Capital Plan, which includes funding for Woodland School.

I am going to, in the future; share as much information as I possibly can with the community, because it is clear in the City of Plainfield that there is more misinformation going around than truth, which leaves people confused.

The letter explains where the Capital Funding, $17 million, for Woodland School has been approved but the school district itself would like to see that project put on the side so that the Cook School project can be carried out. The reason why I am sharing this information with the public is because I feel that decision should be made between the school district and the people in the City. Surely this will avert any finger-pointing practices when decisions are finally made, for all opinion would have been given and discussed. I solicited and fought for the funds, and now it is ultimately up to the school district to make the right decisions as to how that funding will be spent.

The reason why I am sharing the letter I received from the NJSDA is because there is currently a credibility issue here in the City and I would like to feel that any information I can share with the public, I am prepared to share it. I believe it is very important to have first-hand information that is correct and accurate, so that when people attend informational meetings, the public is able to ask accurate questions.

After reading this letter, it is clear that the City has not missed any deadlines regarding seeking and qualifying for school funding.

So here is a letter I received from the NJSDA regarding the funding and request swap as per letter.

SDA
New Jersey School Development Authority

February 15, 2009

Dear Assemblyman Green:

This letter is to provide project specific information to you regarding Plainfield’s schools as a follow-up with your recent conversations with Kris Kolluri, NJSDA’s new CEO. There are several attachments to this letter. The first attachment is a summary of all the projects in your legislative district, its nature and how much has been paid to date by the SDA. As you can see there are a few grants (Plainfield, Clark, and Green Brook) that have been approved by the SDA, but have not been allocated to date. There could be many reasons for this, but to date the SDA does not have a record of response from the respective districts as to the status of these projects.

Also, on page four of the first attachment, you will see that Woodland Elementary School was an approved project utilizing new funds from the 2008 Capital Plan. It is our understanding that the district has requested a swap from the DOE of Woodland ES for the Cook ES project. We have been informed by the DOE that they are still in discussions with the District on the program and model for the proposed swap. Resolutions of the program and model issues are the required next steps in advancing this project.

The second attachment is a list of the top 10 projects in Plainfield, identified by the district that could be addressed with federal stimulus funding. The SDA is working in concert with the Governor’s office to ensure that any available funds for school construction be used quickly and equitably. When we have more information on which projects will be funded, we will be sure to provide you with an update.

School System Solutions within the 22nd District

Because of how important our schools are, I wanted to take this opportunity to discuss some examples of the problems within our schools that I have been able to help resolve.

When the new school funding formula came out, I sat down with Superintendents in my district, including Dr. Bailey of Plainfield, and we were able to discuss our differences and ensure that the new funding formula did not hurt the children of the 22nd district.

There was an emergency problem with Plainfield High School needing some major repairs. Because Dr. Bailey and I were able to work together to clarify the problems, the state gave us $600,000 for these emergency repairs.

Before Dr. Bailey became the interim school superintendent, this level of communication did not exist. This lack of communication created other problems. For example, when the state recently determined funding for school construction in Plainfield, a lack of communication between Superintendent Carter’s administration, the School Board and those of us representing this area in Trenton resulted in the state using its own determinations to fund critical repairs for Woodland Elementary and Cook Elementary Schools, rather than meeting the desires of the citizens of Plainfield for funding for the high school or middle schools.

This was not an acceptable situation to me or Senator Nick Scutari. This missed opportunity puts us in a position where we will be receiving less money than we had anticipated.

So far, the state has committed $17+ million which can be used for Woodland or Cook Elementary School. I’m hoping to have open lines of communication with the Schools Development Authority and with the Plainfield Board of Education on how to best spend the $17+ million on either or both elementary schools. The agreement between Plainfield and the state for this money means that right now, funding for the high school and middle schools is not a top priority. I’m working with the current Superintendent and Members of the School Board to deal with school construction so that a lack of communication will not occur again as it had in the past.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Dr. Bailey for reaching out and working with me, and with state and county officials to help move the Plainfield school district in the right direction. Also, I have met the current superintendent, Dr. Gallon, and I am very impressed with his vision for the education of the children of Plainfield. I am hoping that the Board of Education and community will work with him to carry out his vision.

Building Our Community

Last night, I was privileged to speak before the parents and children of Emerson Elementary School. I shared with them the tireless efforts in securing a new facility for them, and I was able to see the faces of those who use this school for its educational resources. The looks in their faces were that of pride, achievement, and self-worth! I explained to them that the drive and initiative that allowed our success in securing a new facility enabled the fostering of community growth and edification.

The city, Board of Education, and the Rutgers Law Center failed in returning our city to the status of an Abbott district. Upon returning to this status, there will be increased educational funding opportunities for our city and its children. The ability to allow this to come to pass came from the ardent support of members of the New Jersey State Assembly and Senate, who supported my efforts to return Plainfield and Neptune to the status of an Abbott district. I explained to them that if these final efforts were not successful, this was the LAST opportunity for Plainfield to benefit from Abbott dollars, yielding a benefit from the State of New Jersey of approximately $1 billion dollars. If this effort was not successful, then the tax payers from the city would have had to bear this burden.

This ‘freed’ funding also gives way to the opportunity to share in fiscal school construction resources, such as our capacity to build Emerson and fund major improvements to Clinton school. With last year's budget, I was able to secure, with the help and support of Senator Nicholas Scutari and Assemblywoman Linda Stender, $17 million dollars for improvements being made to Woodland Elementary School. This is a sound example of my effectiveness and ability to work with my fellow legislators and with the Governor’s Office to convince the state that Plainfield’s children deserve to be educated in quality facilities. This should also serve as an instance where in working with the state level, I was able to resolve issues pertaining to Plainfield WITHOUT adding cost to the city of Plainfield. The reception of state level support from fellow legislators proved more than encouraging and constructive, when local avenues were exhausted, proving to be ineffective in the accomplishment of these tasks.

Thus, when you have parents, children, neighbors, and teachers, looking at you with heart-warming gazes of appreciation and victory, victory in the success of securing a new facility and increasing educational funding for our community, feelings of pride in our community, and encouragement in doing our jobs runs through my entire being like fire in my bones! I have been stressing the necessity of teamwork and community, and this is a prime example of the fruits of OUR efforts! As we can ALL see, Together, EVERYONE truly does, Achieve, MORE!

Abbott and the 22nd District

I recently had the opportunity to attend the League of Women Voters forum dealing with the Abbott District issue. As a legislator, I was hoping to leave from the meeting with some solutions dealing with the fact that the New Jersey State Supreme Court has rejected Governor Jon Corzine’s Abbott District Plan.

The forum was somewhat saddening to me because nothing new was brought to the table in regards to solutions. The only new piece of information that was brought to my attention from the forum was that the public school district of Plainfield and the charter schools of Plainfield are now competing for the students who live here in the city. Since neither side has invited me to a meeting to discuss this issue, I am hoping that they can share their concerns with the commissioner of education, so that this issue does not become a problem for the education system of Plainfield.

It is my understanding that the public school system here in Plainfield has closed the gap in terms of educating our children. The big issue with the public schools versus charter schools is that of safety. I am hoping that in the future, as a community, we can discuss these issues together. This is of vital importance because our children are the ones who will be directly affected. Therefore, we do not want to hurt or punish their ability to gain access to a quality education.

I would like to share with you that Plainfield did not get hurt by the recent court decision regarding the matter of Abbott District funding. The position that I took on this issue was one in which Plainfield benefitted tremendously. The formula that I supported was one that not only helped the 31 Abbott Districts, but also other districts in New Jersey who now face the same educational problems that the city of Plainfield faces. The intent of Gov. Corzine’s Abbott District Plan was to give other districts the ability to gain sound educations.

Let us take Hillside and Roselle for example. In the Sunday Star Ledger, Roselle was identified as having the highest tax increase in the county of Union, while their educational services to the kids of the community ranked as one of the lowest in the state.

Before I supported the governor’s new plan, I was reassured by the State that Plainfield would NOT be hurt, because if we can prove we need funding in specific areas, we will be allowed to receive those funds. When I held a meeting with the educational community leaders in my district, they all agreed that the governor’s formula would not hurt their districts. The choice was to support the formula for Abbott Funding, or not support it because some people in the community did not understand the issue and we would have lost $17 million dollars. I had to make a choice, and the choice I made benefitted Plainfield tremendously. The $17 million in funding is going toward the improvement of Woodland and Cook schools here in the city of Plainfield.

So I am hoping in moving into the first of the year, that the mayor, council, and Board of Education would spend even more time listening to the taxpayers here in the city of Plainfield. With the voice of the Bush Republicans on its way out the door, its replacement seems to be that of Dan Damon and his followers. No matter what we as a community do to foster that of community in our city, it is never enough for them because the effort is not being done by Republicans. If it were up to Dan and his Republican friends here in Plainfield, they would abolish Abbott Districts all together. That is exactly the type of thinking that will cloud the integrity and progressive movement of positive change within our city.

As we are gearing up for the new year, I have yet to see those mentioned individuals who have been critical of the mayor and Rashid Burney, bring ANY solutions to the table with the issues that the city, our city, of Plainfield is facing. Therefore, I challenge not only you, but also myself in ushering in this New Year with the determination and vigor to continue to transform this city from Good, to Better, to BEST!!

Thoughts on Today

This has truly been one of the most rewarding years of my political career. Last week I was honored when a group from the Obama team invited my wife and I, along with Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs out to dinner, thanking us for the leadership roles we managed in making the Obama campaign as successful as it was here in the City of Plainfield. It was also an honor to have Councilman Rashid Burney, Charles Ike, and the entire group reflect and deduce the hard work, long nights, stress, sweat, and tears that went into the orchestration of such a successful campaign. It was also very touching to reminisce upon the strong commitment the City of Plainfield and our neighboring cities put forth to ensure the success of our efforts. The mayor and I were presented with beautiful plaques from the group.

Personally, the most rewarding aspect of the evening was when I had people who for the first time, really worked with me on a daily basis dealing with the campaign, say to me that the negative picture some have drawn of me is not at all the real Jerry Green. That touched my heart. After watching a 60 Minutes airing with President Elect Barack Obama, I was able to see that whether on a federal, state, or local level, there will be those out there who will do all they can to stop, side track, or derail a positive person, a person pressing for positive change. In listening to Sen. Obama, I then realized that in the end, when the smoke clears and the dust settles, people will recognize the work you have done, and will then judge you by the results.

This current campaign gave me a glance into the distorted thinking some may have when it comes to my duties and responsibilities as Chairman of the Plainfield Democratic Party. Thus, let me clear the air for those: as chairman, I am to solicit all my energies on behalf of my fellow Democrats in getting them elected. My implementation of such duties does not put categorize me as trying to ‘run the city.’ I would like to feel that the same energies I put into helping Sen. Obama get elected, I invest for the local Democrats as well. It is time now for those critical persons to understand that simple fact.

As campaign season rounds into place for me, I look back over the past election, and feel confident with those past results and eager with excitement of the results to come. By winning the City of Plainfield, 70% of the vote, out of 50,000 voters, just under 600 voted against me. Although on an off year, as it was last Legislative election, the voting turnout is lower, I am still proud of the fact that this year, I was appointed Speaker Pro Tempore by the Speaker of the Assembly Joe Roberts, and the members of the New Jersey State General Assembly. This, coupled with the fact that I took a leadership role with the Obama campaign both on the state and local level, is an example of the sorts of achievements I have dreamed of accomplishing, and I was able to do so with YOUR support!

As we move into the New Year, I am looking forward to working with the mayor and council, the board members, and the community to promote and sustain a healthy community. As part of leadership here in the State of New Jersey, we have our work cut out for us, but no more than the 49 other states of the US. There are still a lot of issues that are affecting New Jersey. I will be well prepared to step up to the plate next year and continue to combat the nationwide sweeping crises: economic distress, failed education systems, and shrinking healthcare. As Chairman of Housing and Local Government in the General Assembly, affordable housing issues are of primary concern. This last year, I was able as Chairman to show how Plainfield was treated unfairly in dealing with the reception of low-income housing, while other municipalities in the state were not living up to their end of their responsibilities.

With Plainfield, I have worked with the mayor and other local and state officials to fight crime in our district. Just this year in the City of Plainfield, there were 5 homicides, 5 too many, and when compared to a few years ago, we had 15 homicides. Our efforts are proving that the steps we are taking are ordered along the path of effective leadership and are in the right direction. Since we have been able to bring Plainfield back as an Abbott District, we have received over $1 billion in funding from the government, funding that would have had to come from the pockets of the taxpayers directly. When I was invited to the opening of Emerson School here in the 1st ward, seeing the children being educated in a new atmosphere made me now understand why I truly am in politics.

The best way to say it is that this is my way of giving back to a country, a state, and a city who has given me so many opportunities of advancement as an elected official.

Ps. The State of New Jersey has committed to the City of Plainfield, $17 million to upgrade Woodland and Cook schools. Also, with the strong help of the mayor and council, teamed with the State and the new administration in place, we will be in the position to start to receive federal funding that we have not received in the last 8 years. This would put us in the position to reopen Muhlenberg Hospital, a hospital that should have never been closed.