Dear Editor: The Assembly Education Committee recently met to discuss A-3625, the Educational Facilities Construction and Financing Act. This legislation would dramatically change the way that state aid of school construction is financed. While some of the notions contained in the bill are laudable on paper, they fall far short of equity in practice. For example, A-3625 provides for an interest free loan fund which would be available even to those districts who do not need one dollar in state aid. However, this generosity would come at the cost of insufficient Abbott district funding. This legislation defies a Supreme Court mandate by allocating only 90 percent of funding to Abbott districts for school construction instead of the 100 percent that the court ordered in May 1998. This 10 percent difference is crucial to the survival of the Abbott districts, which simply do not have the capacity to raise the additional funds needed to bridge this gap. In addition, passing legislation that defies a Supreme Court mandate could delay all facilities projects throughout the state as legal challenges are mounted against the legislation. At the last Education Committee meeting of this bill I fought to have Abbott funding levels restored and the rights of local districts preserved. I will continue the fight on these issues until an educational facilities construction bill is written that will serve all of New Jersey’s children in the equitable manner that they deserve. Raul “Rudy” Garcia Assemblyman, 33rd District