Gregory M. Cinque, Millstone
Well, the state Department of Education restored 80 percent of the school budget cuts made by our Millstone Township Committee, including the outrageous tuition that Millstone pays to send its students to Allentown High School. This decision is a gross violation of Gov. Christie’s cost-of-education reform plans.
The decision was made by the interim department director. I urge every Millstone resident to send letters to Gov. Christie demanding that he fix the flawed sending/receiving tuition formula and under-representation of sending-district voting rights on receiving district school budgets.
Millstone’s schools are functioning just fine under the reduced budget. Much fat has been eliminated, operating efficiency improved and academic priorities straightened out by eliminating extracurricular fluff. The students are not suffering and they are not at all deprived. Nevertheless, Millstone’s school board intends to include the restored funds in the 2011 budget. This will undoubtedly be on top of the mindless automatic annual budget increases.
If they do this, it will be unconscionable. There is no need to restore these funds, except maybe the tuition payment to Allentown High School, unless Gov. Christie fixes the problem.
The state Department of Education’s decision was made well after the 2010 budget cycle and start of the school year. Millstone’s school board and school system has adapted and the funds are not needed. I urge all residents to be vigilant and vigorously oppose any attempt to pad the 2011 budget next year.
Gregory M. Cinque
Millstone Township

