Jazzman Assignment Desk

Capitol Quickies points to this game-changing news:

Congressional Quarterly is reporting that Democratic leaders in the U.S. Senate are proposing $23 billion in emergency aid to the nation’s school districts and public colleges, to help minimize an expected wave of school layoffs.

They're talking May or June, and the money is about half of the previous bill.

Reporters in NJ must ask Christie these questions:

• Do you support this bill?
• If you do, will you lobby for it?
• If it passes, will you accept the money, even if you don't like the bill?
• If given the choice, will this money replace the state aid you cut for this year, or would you use it for another purpose?
• Your formula for state aid cuts was 5% of a district's budget, not a percentage of their state aid. Would you allocate the money back the same way?
• If the money comes through, will you scale back your call for wage freezes?

Let's see who asks.