Mayor and residents to lobby state for financial assistance

State grants Jamesburg aid.

By: Al Wicklund
JAMESBURG — Mayor Tony LaMantia, in Trenton last week when a state Senate committee advanced a bill aimed at helping Jamesburg, said Wednesday he will make other trips to the state capital in a continuing quest for added state funds for the borough.
   The bill (S-1993), sponsored by Republican Sen. Peter Inverso, calls for an appropriation of $100,000 to the Department of Community Affairs for a grant to Jamesburg, and was released from the state Senate’s Community and Urban Affairs Committee after a hearing Jan. 9.
   Sen. Inverso represents the 14th Legislative District, which includes Jamesburg.
   "The senator’s bill now goes to the Budget and Appropriations Committee. I plan to attend that meeting," Mayor LaMantia said.
   The bill is geared to regain $100,000 Jamesburg lost last spring when its state Extraordinary Aid, designed to help communities with exceptional tax increases, was cut from $350,000 to $250,000.
   Mayor LaMantia said he wasn’t alone in Trenton last week; there were others from Jamesburg there as well.
   "Our borough administrator, Denise Jawidzik, and other Jamesburg residents including parents interested in more help for our school district were part of what was like a borough delegation," the mayor said.
   The borough is getting bipartisan support in its efforts deal with fiscal difficulties.
   While Sen. Inverso, from the Republican side, pushes the bill for $100,000 to help with the municipal budget and another bill seeking $160,000 for the Jamesburg schools, Democratic Assembly members Linda Greenstein and Gary Guear also seek funds.
   Assemblywoman Greenstein announced last month that the school district will get an added $30,000 in state money to retain a teacher that was scheduled to be cut in a budget reduction.
   The municipality and the Board of Education were the victims of a one-two punch last year.
   First, the municipality suffered the $100,000 cut in Extraordinary Aid; then, the Board of Education was hit by unanticipated cost increases, generated for the most part from a unexpected increase in the number, and cost for, special education students.
   The increased costs caused a budgetary shortfall and required the board to lay off four teachers, a counselor, a vice principal, a secretary and a maintenance worker.
   The $30,000 found by Assemblywoman Greenstein saved one of the four teaching positions.
   Sen. Inverso requested another state review of Jamesburg’s school budget.
   Gov. James McGreevey responded by assigning his special education counsel to reconsider Jamesburg’s school aid.
   Sen. Inverso’s Senate bill for an emergency education grant of $160,000 to help Jamesburg meet its education shortfall is in committee.