And so the voters have spoken. In towns all across the state of New Jersey, including here in my town of Edison, voters have rejected school budgets just as the "jolly" fat man in Trenton asked.
So let the cutting begin. By my take, about 10,000 teachers will be unemployed come June 30. School programs from sports to kindergarten will be reduced or removed altogether. The arts in school will become mostly a memory for most.
The people will get what they asked for. Leaner schools, tighter budgets. They will also get more crime, lower property values and decreased academic achievement.
But, that will be the will of the people. And when things don't turn out as well as they thought, they will want to change it. Of course, by then, spending caps will have been enacted, the bright young teachers who are being let go will have moved on to other careers and their schools will be lightyears behind in technology and achievement.
I just can't wait for Mr. Prosecutor to start crying the blues over how the state unemployment fund is drying up too, now that 10,000 more people will be drawing on it. Who will catch the blame for that one, Mr. Governor? And how will you close that gap?
Stay tuned - the best is yet to come, I'm sure.
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