newjerseynewsroom.com

Feel Governor made mistake by blaming Race to the Top debacle on President

Former New Jersey Education Commissioner Bret Schundler has confessed he made the application mistake that cost the Christie administration a chance at $400 million in federal Race to the Top education aid, Democratic legislative leaders are demanding Gov. Chris Christie apologize to the President Obama for blaming the mistake on his administration, and the governor just wishes the whole episode would be gone with the wind.

While New Jersey lost out on the aid, nine states and the District of Columbia will share $3.4 billion in education funding.

In the aftermath of Schundler telling The Star-ledger Monday that he personally incorrectly answered the federal aid application question that cost the administration a chance to finish in the money, Senate President Stephen M. Sweeney (D-Gloucester) and Senate Majority Leader Barbara Buono (D-Middlesex) Tuesday sent a letter to Christie requesting that he apologize for the "disparaging and partisan attack on federal education officials" that he made last week to rationalize the aid loss.

Buono noted that among the many questions remaining is precisely how the error occurred and what role the state's hired consultant, Wireless Generation, which was paid $179,750 for its involvement, played in the process.

Christie fired Schundler, who was a star of his cabinet on Friday.

"I can understand that the governor was upset about the prospect of losing hundreds of millions of dollars to help New Jersey communities which are reeling from his draconian state aid cuts in the 2011 budget," Sweeney said. "However, his comments about federal education regulators being ‘mindless drones' was completely uncalled for, given that the state's failure was ours' and ours' alone. It's time for the governor to man up and admit the mistake of his administration, rather than engage in divisive rhetoric which only serves to damage our relationship with the federal government."

Last Wednesday Christie took responsibility for the application error, but then arguing that the federal government never gave New Jersey a chance to correct its minor mistake.

Sweeney and Buono described Christie as launching into a "diatribe against the federal bureaucracy, the president, the federal Department of Education, and anyone else to whom he could deflect the blame."

After the remarks, federal education officials have revealed video-taped evidence proving that New Jersey was given the opportunity, but failed to provide the correct information to qualify for funding.

"I am disappointed that rather than take responsibility for the mistakes of his administration, the governor's response was simply to target and ridicule the next scapegoat," Buono said "For him to lash out indiscriminately against everyone but his own policy advisors — who ultimately dropped the ball here — is disrespectful and counterproductive. It's time for the governor to apologize for his partisan rhetoric and work with the federal government to maximize assistance for New Jersey's hard-hit families during this time of nearly unprecedented economic hardship."

At an appearance in Morris County, Christie told reporters that Sweeney and Buono should focus on pending legislation designed to help cut local government spending.

"Well listen, Senator Sweeney and Senator Buono suggesting who I should apologize to is good summer entertainment but it's really nothing much more than that,'' the governor said.

Christie said he continues to believe the federal rules were overly strict.

Buono and Assembly Speaker Sheila Y. Oliver intend to hold public hearings on the failed aid bid and want Schundler to appear. The Senate hearing is set for Sept. 23.

— TOM HESTER SR., NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM