Over the Holiday weekend Senate President Steve Sweeney struck a deal with Governor Christie on a radical new tax cap which is far more restrictive than either the current 4% cap or the new 2.9% cap the Legislature passed earlier last week. Our local schools have already lost millions in state funding, but this new 2% tax cap is flawed and will make it harder for local communities to fund local schools. This tax cap has no exemption for: • Special Education. The 2% tax cap as it is currently written has no waver for rising special education costs in local districts, so parents of students with special needs should prepare for fights with districts over the services their children need. • Reductions in State Aid. School districts have had to make drastic cuts as state aid has been cut on short notice. This tax cap will not allow local communities to make up for unpredictable state funding. • Inflation. This cap contains no exception for inflation, including the cost of fuel, textbooks or supplies. As school budgets, which have already been slashed this year, are stretched tighter, deeper cuts in staff and even larger class sizes are inevitable. Parents should prepare to see extracurricular programs eliminated and higher fees imposed on previously affordable activities. We must take action today! We ask you to do TWO THINGS: 1. Call Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver. Urge her NOT to sign on to the Sweeney- Christie tax cap until we protect special education, and fix the cap to allow for inflation and loss of state funding. Contact Assemblywoman Oliver at 973-395-1166 or email her at http://www.njkidsandfamilies.org/elected. 2. Call and email your Senator and Assembly members. Tell them to say NO to the Sweeney-Christie tax cap until we protect special education, and fix the cap to allow for inflation and loss of state funding. The Assembly is caucusing Wednesday and the Senate is voting as soon as Thursday - please call or email today.