The state is on the edge of Bankruptcy, This Gov has to make some very un-popular decisions.Unlike his predecessor who's only concern was sipping lattes in hoboken over looking the nyc skyline from his penthouse and was a 'do nothing" gov, this guy at the very least has the right attitude to approach our financial woes.

Its time that the schools get rid of their top heavy $$$$ employees (Epps is a perfect example) and start trimming a lot of fat which is way over due.

Same goes for NJT and all the other public entities that rely heavy on state funding.

As for the unions, guess what, if your rank and file move out of the state, theres plenty of people left here that are more than willing to take those jobs and don't need the unions!

Hudson County schools will lose $44M in state aid under Gov. Christie's new plan

By The Jersey Journal
February 15, 2010, 8:55AM

Hudson County schools will lose nearly $44.2 million in state aid under an executive order signed by Gov. Chris Christie last week.

Perhaps the most pain will be felt in Union City, which will lose $29.3 million - by far the most in the state and more than all the districts combined in Morris County and just $100,000 less than all the districts in Bergen County.

Union City is losing so much because the district has $26.3 million in what Christie calls "excess surplus," in addition to other balances.

Second in line statewide is Perth Amboy, which will lose $15.26 million.

Some Hudson County districts were spared. Bayonne and West New York will not lose any state aid and Hudson County Vocational will lose only $253.

But, Kearny will lose $3.87 million, followed by Jersey City with $3.565 million, Harrison with $2.455 million and North Bergen with $2.058 million.

East Newark is taking a $827,937 hit, followed by Guttenberg with $816,301, Hoboken with $669,521, Weehawken with $500,013 and Secaucus with $75,974.

An empty classroom at Union City High School.
Union City officials were out of the office and could not be reached for comment Friday.

Jersey City Superintendent Charles Epps said the funds were for an emergency, like the pipe that recently burst at School 9.

"Any time you lose money it has an impact," he said. "How devastating that impact is going to be, I don't know yet."
Epps said the administration will start making accommodations to account for the cut.

There was a firestorm of criticism Thursday as Christie announced he would make the cuts to plug a $2.2 billion deficit through executive order, rather than through lawmakers. The state is required to have a balanced budget by June 30.

In addition to school aid, hospitals, higher education and NJ Transit will see cuts. Christie said the cuts wouldn't be popular, but they are necessary.

"Suburban districts will sacrifice. Urban districts will sacrifice. Rural districts will sacrifice," he said. "Our state is in crisis. Our people are hurting. Now is the time when we all must resist the traditional, selfish call to protect your own turf at the cost of our state."

At least one Jersey City Board of Education member said he supported Christie.

"I totally understand the governor's problem," said board member Gerry McCann, a Democrat. "In spite of what people think, I totally agree the only way we're going to correct an immediate problem is to do exactly what he's doing. If I was governor, I would do the exact same thing."