It's terribly unfair for [a district that has] submitted their budget on time, has received accolades in student achievement, and have never asked for additional state aid before. It puts us in a very difficult position.

In July [2005] the SCC came out with the final list, and we had two projects that made it on. They were the athletic field project at Jose Marti Middle School and the new Columbus School on 15th street and Palisade Avenue. It is my understanding that they have acquired all the property needed for Columbus school, including the controversial 1501 Palisade Ave.

We have been working hard with the SCC to move our projects forward. We are in a good position, and it's minimal inconvenience to the neighborhood.

We always tried to be sensitive with the land acquisition proposals. All the land is acquired for Gilmore School and the Magnet School, which was a much larger land acquisition and was to be our Renaissance Project.

Within the next two years there will be athletic facilities in Union City we have never had.

We knew this year we had to look at tightening our belt.