Council President Levesque’s Statement on School Budget
Council President Levesque made the following statement at the May 6, 2010 Council Meeting:
Yesterday, Mayor Fried and I sent a letter to the president of the teachers’ union in Robbinsville Township. We know he received it.
As of this evening, neither Mayor Fried nor I have heard a response. We have, however, heard reports from parents, school board members, and yes, teachers, that the union leadership in Robbinsville refuses to consider a pay freeze or contributions to health care – items that would go a long way toward sparing more jobs for members, and more importantly, would prevent even larger class sizes for the children.
Voters in this community are smart. They know that the new leadership of the school district has already made significant cuts to the budget. I believe that is why, despite the fact the budget failed, in raw numbers, more people turned out to vote yes. But because of stubbornness by union leadership – refusals to respond not only the board, but to also its own membership – the majority voted against this budget.
I expect to hear from many people in the next week regarding the school budget. As an elected official, I have a duty to respond to constituents and weigh their concerns before I vote. Above all, I have a duty to listen. If the president of the union is a leader, he has the same obligation to his members. I call on him at a minimum to schedule a meeting of his membership about our letter, and to meet with the school board to hear their concerns. If he refuses to even listen, he has failed in the job he was elected to do.
