Christie targets salaries of school superintendents

Gov. Christie proposed salary caps on Thursday to limit, and in many cases cut, what the state's public school districts pay their superintendents and other top administrators.

The measure, which would take effect when an administrator's current contract expired, is among those in Christie's "tool kit" to help districts control costs and live within the recently signed 2 percent cap on property-tax increases.

"While families and school districts across the state cope with fewer resources and continued fiscal challenges, many school administrators continue to receive salaries that are out of proportion with the private sector and current economic realities," Christie said in a written statement.

State Education Commissioner Bret Schundler will propose regulations by Aug. 6 to limit pay for superintendents, assistant superintendents, and business administrators. The caps, which could go into effect as soon as Dec. 20, do not require legislative approval, according to administration spokesmen.

According to preliminary guidelines, superintendents' maximum base salaries would be determined by the number of students in the district. Merit bonuses, tied to student achievement, could be as much as 15 percent of base pay, but they could not earn pension credits.

A superintendent's maximum base pay in a district of up to 250 students would be $120,000. In a district of 3,001 to 10,000 students, it would be $175,000.

The state's 16 districts with more than 10,000 students - which include two locally - would be subject to separate rules. In Cherry Hill, Superintendent David Campbell, who plans to retire in June, earns more than $277,000, according to figures released by the state. In Camden, schools chief B. LeFra Young is paid more than $239,000.

Roughly 70 percent of superintendents statewide earn more than the proposed caps, according to the state. Administration officials estimate the salary limits would save nearly $9.8 million annually.

Some Republican legislators were quick to praise Christie's measure. Assemblymen Domenick DiCicco Jr., from Gloucester County, and David Rible, from Monmouth County, announced their intention to draft legislation to make the salary caps permanent. The regulations to be proposed by Schundler would remain for five years.

"Once our legislation is enacted, it will be much tougher to repeal, regardless of which administration is in power," DiCicco said.

The wage caps got a less-than-glowing reception from other quarters. Many expressed concern that they would cost the state quality education leaders.

Richard Bozza, executive director of the New Jersey Association of School Administrators, said that despite the group's appreciation for New Jersey's financial crisis, "we are dismayed to hear that locally negotiated school administrator contracts are categorized as 'abuse,' " a reference to language in a news release regarding current salaries.

New Jersey education administrative costs are less than those in 41 other states, Bozza said.

The New Jersey School Boards Association has urged the administration to adopt a number of "tool kit" changes to help control districts' labor costs, but had not suggested salary caps.

Marie S. Bilik, association executive director, praised the notion of merit bonuses tied to educational advances, but said her group wanted to study possible impacts of wage caps.

"Major changes in compensation could affect the pool of qualified chief school administrators available to New Jersey school districts," Bilik said in a written statement.

Cinnaminson schools chief Salvatore Illuzzi, whose salary exceeds the proposed cap and has been the target of public criticism, predicted the limits would shrink the pool of administrators willing to work in New Jersey.

Some principals would make almost as much as their superintendents though they work a shorter year, Illuzzi said. That could limit their desire to be promoted into top administration, he said.

"It could be a fairly shortsighted proposal that would make people rethink staying in [the state] or coming into the profession," Illuzzi said.

Steve Weinstein, Haddonfield school board president, said his district had lost its last two superintendents to higher-paying jobs in Pennsylvania. The district is seeking a replacement for Alan Fegley, who left to lead the Phoenixville School District.

"In the current climate," both economic and political, Weinstein said, "the pool of superintendents has gone down."

Instead of focusing on administrative costs, which he said did not make up the bulk of budgets, he called for reforming how education is delivered.

"We don't seem to be having that conversation," he said.

Christie's announcement came after a consultant recommended that New Jersey increase the amount it charges schools, towns, and counties for employee health insurance by 6 to 12 percent.

The recommended rate increases far exceed Christie's 2 percent cap on property-tax increases. Health insurance is exempt from the cap because school districts and towns don't control the cost of premiums.