Superintendent LeRoy Seitz's contract was extended by five years, giving him an average annual salary of $225,064
N.J. Gov. Chris Christie in this Oct. 15 file photo.TRENTON — Gov. Chris Christie today slammed Parsippany’s school board for approving a salary for Superintendent LeRoy Seitz that is well above a cap set to take effect in a few months. But Christie was not sure if he could do anything to reverse the decision.
Christie, who was at a town hall meeting in Clifton, said the school board “cares more about whether a superintendent will take them out to lunch than protecting the taxpayers they were elected to serve,” and that they ignore voters at their “political peril.”
At a standing-room-only meeting Tuesday night, the board voted 6-2 to extend Seitz’s contract by five years, with an average annual salary of $225,064. The contract was set to expire on July 1.
Under Christie’s proposed cap that will take effect in February, Seitz’s salary would be limited to $175,000. Superintendents would be eligible for yearly bonuses of up to 20 percent based on student performance, but it would not count towards their pensions.
Christie said circumventing the planned cap is “purely arrogant, purely greedy” and “a way of trying to run around taxpayers.” He said he’s asked his chief of staff, Rich Bagger, and acting Education Commissioner Rochelle Hendricks to look into legal options for reversing the decision.
“We’re going to try to do what we can. I just found out about this yesterday. I don’t have information yet on what I can do legally,” he said. “If there’s anything I can do under the law to stop it, you can bet on the fact that I will.”
Christie said that even if he does not have legal options, he will highlight any cases of superintendents accepting salaries above the cap between now and February.
Previous coverage:
• Parsippany approves new contract for schools superintendent; Gov. Christie lashes out
• Edison hires Matawan-Aberdeen superintendent to run schools
• Superintendent salary cap has bigger impact in northern, central N.J. districts
• Gov. Christie proposes superintendent salary cuts, merit-based bonuses