August 30, 2006
Assemblyman Richard Merkt/908-850-1595(ext. 520)
Assembly Republican Office/609-292-5339

MERKT ASKS INSPECTOR GENERAL TO LOOK INTO QUESTIONS ABOUT UNION CITY SCHOOLS

QUESTIONS ABOUT PATRONAGE, CONTRIBUTIONS UNANSWERED

Assemblyman Richard Merkt today sent a letter to New Jersey Inspector General Mary Jane Cooper calling for her office to look into questions about the Union City school district that were raised at yesterday’s meeting of the Joint Legislative Committee on Public School Funding Reform.

"Clearly there were questions raised yesterday about how state taxpayer dollars are being spent by the Union City school district that went unanswered," said Merkt, R-Morris. "We need to get answers to these serious questions and I think an independent investigation is the best way to do so."

At Tuesday's school funding hearing questions were raised about allegations that the Union City school district has become a patronage haven for the politically connected.

Specific instances were cited, including that of a city commissioner being appointed to a newly created position in the district. This line of questioning was cut off by the committee chairman who said it wasn’t the focus of those hearings.

"These are very serious questions that impact the amount of money state taxpayers are paying to support schools in Union City," Merkt writes in his letter. "I think we need to get answers and I believe your office is uniquely positioned to get those answers."

A copy of the letter is attached.

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August 30, 2006
Assemblyman Richard Merkt/908-850-1595(ext. 520)
Assembly Republican Office/609-292-5339

MERKT ASKS INSPECTOR GENERAL TO LOOK INTO QUESTIONS ABOUT UNION CITY SCHOOLS

QUESTIONS ABOUT PATRONAGE, CONTRIBUTIONS UNANSWERED

Assemblyman Richard Merkt today sent a letter to New Jersey Inspector General Mary Jane Cooper calling for her office to look into questions about the Union City school district that were raised at yesterday’s meeting of the Joint Legislative Committee on Public School Funding Reform.

"Clearly there were questions raised yesterday about how state taxpayer dollars are being spent by the Union City school district that went unanswered," said Merkt, R-Morris. "We need to get answers to these serious questions and I think an independent investigation is the best way to do so."

At Tuesday's school funding hearing questions were raised about allegations that the Union City school district has become a patronage haven for the politically connected.

Specific instances were cited, including that of a city commissioner being appointed to a newly created position in the district. This line of questioning was cut off by the committee chairman who said it wasn’t the focus of those hearings.

"These are very serious questions that impact the amount of money state taxpayers are paying to support schools in Union City," Merkt writes in his letter. "I think we need to get answers and I believe your office is uniquely positioned to get those answers."

A copy of the letter is attached.

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August 30, 2006

Inspector General Mary Jane Cooper
New Jersey Office of the Inspector General
P.O. Box 208
Trenton, NJ, 08625-0208

Dear Inspector General Cooper:

I am writing this letter because I know that the Office of the Inspector General was created to identify waste, mismanagement and fraud in government spending and to ensure the accountability and integrity of every state agency that receives state funding. This of course, I assume, includes school districts.

At Tuesday's hearing of the Joint Legislative Committee on Public School Funding Reform legitimate questions were raised about allegations that the Union City school district has become a patronage haven for the politically connected. Specific instances were cited, including that of a city commissioner being appointed to a newly created position in the district. This line of questioning was cut off by the committee chairman who said it wasn’t the focus of those hearings.

This morning, the Star-Ledger points out that Union City school officials, including teachers, principals, and other employees have contributed $87,300 to the Union City First political action committee, which seems to raise questions about the political influence on this school district.

Union City spends more than $14,000 per student – well over the statewide average of $11,500 -- and much of that money comes from the state through the Abbott funding formula. In fact more than 80 percent of the district’s funding comes from the state.

Specifically I’d like to see your office conduct an audit of Union City schools with an emphasis on: (1) the apparent creation of patronage jobs in the school system (story attached); (2) whether Union City municipal officials took actions to inflate the value of property causing the Schools Construction Corporation to pay more to a certain developer (see attached stories); and (3) whether school employees have been inappropriately pressured to make political contributions (see attached story).

These are very serious questions that impact the amount of money state taxpayers are paying to support schools in Union City. I think we need to get answers and I believe your office is uniquely positioned to get those answers. I look forward to your response to this request. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Richard A. Merkt
Assemblyman, 25th Legislative District