At a time when the NJEA and its allies are complaining about the under-funding of schools and pensions, you’d think the infamous public sector union would exercise a little fiscal prudence?
Nah.
There’s a new report out from NJTV’s Leah Mishkin confirming that, in the same cycle that spent an estimated $4.5 million in a failed bid to take down Senate President Steve Sweeney for standing up it, the teacher’s union spent “roughly” $5.7 million in dues on the overall Election 2017 cycle…
At the NJEA convention, when asked about where that money came from, NJEA President Marie Blistan said it was in part from membership dues.
“We absolutely use some of our money to promote those causes, because as you know in public education, everything is either legislative, it’s regulated or it’s by statute.” said Blistan. “So our involvement in politics, it’s not by choice, it is absolutely a necessity.”
Blistan confirmed only some of the $4.5 million came from membership dues, adding, “We exist from member’s dues, and again for the purpose of advocating on behalf of them, wherever that has to be.”
Although no one from the NJEA was available to speak on camera, NJEA Communications Director Steve Baker confirmed by email that all of the roughly $5.7 million did come from membership dues, stating that “all independent expenditures are from dues.”
Another nugget: on the same day that the above referenced report dropped, we also learned per NJBIZ that Governor-elect Phil Murphy tapped Blistan “to act in an advisory role for education policies in his administration.“
Remember… it’s for the kids!
We’ve written about the NJEA’s spending many times in the past but the organization’s arrogance is only getting worse. That’s ominous news for taxpayers in all 21 counties.
Cross your fingers for a good result in the pending Janus case.
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