NJ Spotlight published the following article on June 10, 2014. To read the full article, click here.
STATE LAWMAKERS CLASH OVER CONTROVERSIAL CAP ON PAY OF SUPERINTENDENTS
JOHN MOONEY | JUNE 10, 2014Democrats cite exodus of talent from school districts while Republicans link high salaries to high taxes
The controversial caps on school superintendents’ salaries may have few friends in public school circles, but it doesn’t sound like the Christie administration is budging much– at least for now.
The state Senate’s education committee yesterday heard an hour of testimony in favor of a bill that would effectively end the caps imposed in late 2010 by Gov. Chris Christie and then-education commissioner Bret Schundler.
The caps limited annual pay to $175,000 – the same as the governor’s own salary – for a vast majority of school chiefs, depending on enrollment.
The bill that would lift the caps has strong support from Democratic leaders, with Senate President Stephen Sweeney calling the pay limits a “big mistake” and the influential chair of the education committee saying it is time to fix the regulations.
“It is time to roll up our sleeves to deal with the unintended circumstances of the cap,” said state Sen. Teresa Ruiz (D-Essex), the committee’s chairwoman and a prime sponsor of the new bill.
But there appeared little sympathy or support from the administration or the Republican members of the education committee.