Booker's Senate Run, City's Budget, School Finances This Week

With Mayor Cory Booker’s decision to run in a special election for US Senate later this year, we’ll be providing you with updated information in the race for a vacant seat on the nine-member Newark Municipal Council. With Booker’s mayoral term not set to expire until July 2014, the winner of that council race will likely play a key role in determining who serves as interim mayor should Booker win the Senate race in October.

We also should have additional information regarding the city budget—the first in several years not heavily reliant on state aid—and on the city’s plans to take over the management of its watershed property. That property had been managed by an outside agency for decades until it was recently dissolved amid charges of mismanagement.

Last week’s historic announcement regarding the return of local control over school district finances to local officials marks the first time the state has reversed itself since the New Jersey Department of Education began taking over districts a quarter-century ago. We’ll take a closer look at the full implications of that decision, including speaking with an elected official, state Sen. Ron Rice, who says it does not go far enough.

In more school news, the Newark Public Schools have decided to open the first public all-girls school in the state, following up on a decision last year to open a similar institution for boys. We’ll be taking a look at the district's rationale behind creating such a groundbreaking educational environment.