Dear Editor:
Will Rogers said, “I don’t make jokes, I just watch the government and report the facts.”
It was reported that Councilman Robert Costantino, (after the council meeting) told a reporter that the cuts in the school budget “will not be as high as last year.” He added that “the town wants comparisons of spending from other school districts.”
He must be joking. Permit me to explain why I say this. The record shows, that Secaucus cut $1,100,000 from a $32 million defeated school budget. That was the most cut from any 2011-12 defeated school budgets reported in a survey of 17 school budgets.
Mayor Gonnelli, who does not make a move without consulting North Bergen’s Mayor Sacco, cut $50,000 from a $113 million defeated school budget. Bottom line, of the thirteen school districts reported, North Bergen cut the lowest 0.04 percent, Secaucus cut the highest, 3.44 percent. Why? Apparently Mayor Sacco has no desire to replace his superintendent as Mayor Gonnelli does.
One last point. Of the 2011-12 defeated school budgets, the town of Lyndhurst defeated their school budget and their budget was $32 million, same as Secaucus. Do you know how much they cut? Nothing – 0 percent.
So now, a year later Councilman Costantino claims that before the town cuts the budget, the town wants to compare the cuts they intend to make with the surrounding towns. He must be joking. Didn’t they do that last year? If not, why not?
I have been accused of bullying mayor Gonnelli, by Mayor Gonnelli. That is just not so. What I have done over the years is what Will Rogers has done, with a twist. I don’t make jokes about politicians, school board trustees etc. I just watch them in action, and report the facts they distort.
Tom Troyer
Former Secaucus School Board Trustee