Beck, Angelini, Casagrande Visit Long Branch

Senator Jennifer Beck and Assemblywomen Mary Pat Angelini and Caroline Casagrande visited the Long Branch Senior Center on Wednesday night to discuss state-wide issues and how they affect the city.

The meeting was attended by a small group of residents and some town hall officials.

Senator Beck said that the state's proposed budget is $32.1 billion and that education will receive the largest appropriation in state history with $8.9 billion.

She said she was happy with the progress the state has made since 2009, "when New Jersey had the highest tax rate in the nation."

She said 60,600 new jobs have been created since 2010 and that the unemployment rate has declined from 9.8 percent to 9.1 percent.

Assemblywoman Angelini spoke specifically about school districts and said there will be a $2.6 million increase for District 11 school if the state budget passes. District 11 includes Long Branch, Tinton Falls, Eatontown, West Long Branch and several other Monmouth County towns.

Assemblywoman Angelini said since the inception of the Abbot District designation, "little progress has been made in the 31 districts."

She said the Long Branch School District is an exception to the rule.

"Long Branch has made efficient use of the money, building excellent facilities and improving access to technology," Assemblywoman Angelini said.

She said Long Branch spends $20,140 per pupil for instruction and services and has an 89 percent graduation rate. Asbury Park spends $29,095 per pupil and has a graduation rate of 59 percent.

"We are at a turning point where we know we need to fix our broken schools," she said. "We need to fix the education system."

Assemblywoman Casagrande touched on many subjects including sick pay payouts for school and local government employees.

She said Long Branch will owe $6,788,091 in sick pay payouts, which equates to $635 per taxpayer.

She said Senator Beck and her have "introduced bills to stop this practice."

These include bills that would:

1) Prohibit the use of six or more accumulated sick days by an employee within a 12-month period after they are eligible for retirement without a doctor's note.

2) Prohibit payment of supplemental compensation for unused sick leave earned after the bill's effective date

3) Compensation for unused sick leave would be suspended if a public employee is convicted of a crime that warrants pension forfeiture under law Assemblywoman Casagrande used former Toms River School District Superintendent Michael Ritacco as an example.

4) A public employee would have to provide medical documentation for absences of six or more days. Penalties would be imposed on those who fail to provide documentation.