This is a copy of a letter I recently wrote to Gov. Jon Corzine.I have several suggestions on the revenues you need to obtain.
First of all, did you look at the income tax deductions? The deduction for a child is $1,500, while for an adult it is $1,000. The child deduction should only be $500-$750. The children are the ones who are pulling away much of the revenues for their education. Lowering this deduction would bring in the income from those people having the children instead of those without.
Second, the school system should be centralized in Trenton with a primary person and the secondary person in each county. This would make the burden lower for smaller towns. The teachers would receive a salary based on the average in each county or the total state. Teachers who worked in areas such as Camden, parts of Newark, etc., should receive a 10- to 20-percent higher salary.
Third, all teachers should be required to pay part of their medical insurance, somewhere between 25-35 percent of the total cost, like most of us working people.
Last of all, you said that you wanted to help us with the high gas prices. Why don’t you have all the traffic lights on main roads with speed limits of 35 mph or higher synchronized to the speed limit and signs posted saying “Traffic lights are set to the speed limit”? This would also cut down on speeding, accidents and save gasoline. At one time you could make almost every traffic light on Route 1 from Route 46 to the Pennsylvania border if you did the speed limit. Many major highways – Route 18, Route 130, Route 1, County Route 55, County Route 613 (Summerhill Road section), etc. – are terrible with the lights.
I hope this is some help.
Martyn Goldberg
East Brunswick