Preserve Katzenbach School for the Deaf

In an effort to find funds to balance the state budget and provide for repairs to the Katzenbach School for the Deaf, the prospect of selling an unused portion of the Katzenbach campus was considered by the State of New Jerseys Department of the Treasury. The plan also called for a lease/buyback option for the remaining occupied portion of the campus, which caused an uncertain future for a school that serves Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Children from across the state. It was determined that a lease/buyback is an illegal borrowing of funds to balance the state budget, and a violation of the New Jersey Constitution.

However, State Treasurer John E. McCormac announced that the state still plans to sell the unused portion of the Katzenbach property (Trenton Times Thursday March 17, 2005) to help balance the state budget. It appears that school repairs were not the prime focus of Treasurer McCormacs interest in selling the campus.

We are appalled that the State of New Jerseys Department of the Treasury is proposing to balance the state budget on the backs of New Jerseys Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Children. Rather than look for long-term tax savings by trimming special and pet legislative projects (better known as pork barrel), Treasurer McCormac has opted to sell off state assets which will be lost forever. New Jerseys Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Children deserve better than to be the victims of such acts of poor stewardship.

We, the undersigned, express our opposition to New Jersey State Treasurer John E. McCormacs plan to sell a portion of the campus of the Katzenbach School for the Deaf in order to help balance the 2005-2006 New Jersey State Budget. We also oppose his plan to borrow money through the New Jersey Economic Development Authority to help fund needed repairs for the school.