What was the budget for Scotch Plains-Fanwood schools in 2023-2024?
Dear Scotch Plains Township,
I am interested in knowing how much money is being spent on education in the school system. I want to know if my tax dollars are being put to good use.
Please accept this electronic request for public records made under OPRA and the common law right of access. I am not required to fill out an official form or use a particular software platform to submit my request per NJSA 47:1A-6(f), which states that an email from a requestor including all of the information required on the adopted form shall suffice in place of a completed form as a valid government record request.
I HAVE NOT been convicted of any indictable offense under the laws of New Jersey, any other state, or the United States.
I WILL NOT use the requested government records for a commercial purpose.
I AM NOT seeking records in connection with a legal proceeding.
Records requested:
My preferred delivery method for response(s) to this request is by E-mail as attachments. Please confirm you have received this request. If you are not the custodian of records, please forward my request to that person and provide their email address to me for future reference.
Yours faithfully,
Gabriel Sandy
Ms. Sandy-
The Township of Scotch Plains received your Open Public Records Act (OPRA) request on October 30, 2024. As such, the seven (7) business day deadline to respond to your request is November 8, 2024. This response to your request is being provided to you on the 1st business day after the custodian’s receipt of said request.
Request: I am interested in knowing how much money is being spent on education in the school system. I want to know if my tax dollars are being put to good use.
Response: Bent v. Township of Stafford, 381 N.J. Super. 30, 37 (App. Div. 2005) is illustrative. To qualify under OPRA, Bent requires that "the request must reasonably identify a record and not
generally data, information or statistics." Rather, a party requesting access to a public record under OPRA must specifically describe the documents sought. Bent, id. at 37, citing
Gannett New Jersey Partners LP v. County of Middlesex, 379 N.J. Super. 205, 213 (App. Div. 2005).
“OPRA does not require the Township to provide ‘information’ but only to produce identifiable government records that are not otherwise exempt from disclosure.
However, since your subject line requested the "budget for the Scotch Plains-Fanwood Schools in 2023-2024", I have included a copy of the 2023-2024 Tax Levy Certificate filed by the SP-F Board of Education.
Further inquiry as to how the budget is being spent should be refered to the SP-F Board of Education. The Township does not exercise any authority of the Board of Education in Scotch Plains.
END OF REQUESTED ITEMS
By this letter of response, the Township of Scotch Plains will consider your OPRA request dated
October 30, 2024 complete unless otherwise informed.
Thank you.
Bozena Lacina, RMC
Township Clerk
Township of Scotch Plains
430 Park Avenue
Scotch Plains NJ 07076
Office: (908) 322 6700 x. 211
Fax: (908) 322 1663
[email address]
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