I read the article "Assemblyman blasts school funding methods" in the April 13 edition of the Examiner. As a District 30 voter, I am pleased to know that Malone is concerned about the school funding method and spoke openly about it.

He has been a state legislator since 1993 representing the 30th District. He is elected to protect our interest, safeguard our tax dollars and bring fairness to the system.

The current school aid formula was created in 1996. Malone was a state legislator at that time, and Republicans had the majority in the Assembly. Why didn't he raise hell on the inequity of the system at that time?

Why can't he introduce legislation calling for a new formula now? As a member of the Assembly Education Committee and the ranking Republican at the Assembly Budget Committee, he could do something to correct the situation rather than just complain about it.

Malone also talked about funding for Abbott schools. He said, "Abbott ruling is not fair, not efficient, and it does not serve the children of this state." Abbott school districts were created by a New Jersey Supreme Court decision. In his speech, Malone did not offer any suggestions to overrule the Supreme Court's mandate. He and the Assembly Education Committee could ask the commissioner to stop Abbott-level funding to districts that do not qualify for it. According to Assemblyman Ron Dancer, of the 31 Abbott districts, 16 districts are ineligible to be classified as Abbott districts.

The city of Chicago has a successful program called "Renaissance 20-10." If schools do not meet performance standards within a prescribed time, students from the under-performing schools are sent to better schools at the city's expense. Malone and his fellow legislators could do the same.

On long-term property tax reform, Malone is opposed to the proposed People's Convention because, he said, the bill authorizing the convention "had so many loopholes you could drive a bus through it." Then how come he did not introduce a bill to close the holes and deal with the issue? At the moment, he has not introduced any bill to deal with long-term property tax reform. Why? There are over 70,000 housing units in District 30. Does his lack of support mean he doesn't care about the impact of this oppressive tax on his constituents?

On the other hand, Dancer has a bill (ACR 140) in the Assembly to authorize the convention to propose statutory changes with respect to property tax reform. Malone's name is not on the bill as a co-sponsor. Why? Incidentally, Dancer has another bill in the Assembly that eliminates dual pay (double dipping) to legislators who are employees of the state, county and municipality. For some reason, Malone, a county employee, is not a sponsor of this bill, either.

To me, Malone's speech was the usual double talk, say-one-thing-do-another culture of Trenton. Our elected officials have their eyes locked on the next election and not on the taxpayers' well-being or the state's future.

In his speech he said, "People have to think differently. I wasn't elected to just do things I liked. I have to do the right things."

The right thing for Malone and the Legislature to do is to give us the People's Convention. We will finish the job. We waited over 30 years for the Legislature to solve the problem. Now, allow the taxpayers, who carry the brunt of the burden, to decide how they should be taxed. That is not too much to ask.

Cy Thannikary

Allentown