From the Capitol – Common Ground September 2011
In signing the state budget for 2011-2012, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie increased state aid to local districts by $850 million, and at the same time, used his line item veto power to trim $900 million from the bottom line. In a 23-page memo to the legislature describing the cuts, Christie cited his responsibility to ensure a balanced budget.
The $29.7 billion budget reflected cuts likely to impact education, children and families including: funding for school breakfast and lunch programs, child protective services; child behavioral health services and emergency treatment homes; after-school programs; and state funding for early intervention services for infants and toddlers with disabilities. One of the most high-profile cuts was to the Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired, a state program help blind students attend school. Two hundred and sixty-seven schools will be affected, impacting an estimated 2,400 children.
