Even More RTTT Folllies

Dennis McGrath over at Blue Jersey is on the case:

pager 261 of the pdf:

Here is the question:

(F)(1) Making education funding a priority (10 points)
The extent to which-
(i) The percentage of the total revenues available to the State (as defined in this notice) that were
used to support elementary, secondary, and public higher education for FY 2009 was greater than
or equal to the percentage of the total revenues available to the State (as defined in this notice)
that were used to support elementary, secondary, and public higher education for FY 2008;

Here is the answer:
.............................................
(i) EDUCATION SPENDING AS A PERCENTAGE OF
STATE SPENDING
In fiscal year 2011, despite huge budget strains, the Governor is proposing an increase in state revenue-based support for education by 2.2% ($238 million). As proposed,
preschool-12 education spending as a percentage of the state budget will be 35.4%. Federal ARRA funding will not be available to school districts in FY 2011, but the Governor and the executive team remain committed to funding education even as state
revenue-based support for most other areas of state spending has been cut. This demonstrates that, despite severe fiscal challenges, the leadership in the state of New Jersey remains committed to education. 

Okay? That is no mistake. It was a deliberate choice not to answer the question that had been asked, and to provide other information in its stead. Too bad for NJ's kids that someone saw the need to spin this like this.

Pretty awful - a simple question they couldn't - or didn't want - to answer.

I just don't know enough about this, but did Christie's first cuts - where he made the districts use up their surpluses - count in FY 2009? Or is this all from the Corzine years?