Kaitlyn Kanzler, Special Writer
CRANBURY — The Cranbury Township Board of Education has decided to keep its school election in April rather than move it to November in a 5-4 vote Tuesday after much debate.
School districts could opt to change the date to the general election in November thanks to a law signed by Gov. Chris Christie on Jan. 17.
Nearly half the districts in the state have chosen to move the election to November in anticipation of a higher voter turnout and also because budgets would not need voter approval if they are within the state-mandated 2 percent cap. But those districts must hold their elections in November for the next four years.
”The system (voter approval of budgets within cap) was not designed to benefit anyone,” Assemblyman Wayne DeAngelo, D-14th, said before the vote at the meeting. “I saw school budgets fail, especially suburban districts, and get dropped on the laps of the local council. They have less than a month to get that document digested and then come up with a plan and give it to them.”
The state legislator, who attended the meeting to answer questions about the new law, added, “We’re going to give the school districts the authority to make the change they want to, not to mandate it. We also gave the authority of the local municipal government to do that.”
”That ‘what if’ of it not being in our control is problematic for me,” said Susan Genco, chief school administrator and principal.
Several of the board members voiced concern over the possible move.
”We have elections in April for a budget that starts in July,” said board member Michael Ferrante. “I can’t get my brain around how we can vote in November for a budget that starts in July without being hamstrung on a budget if we have to go over cap or have to make a decision that requires doing that.”
According to Assemblyman DeAngelo, if a district changed its election to November, but wants a budget over the 2 percent cap, voters must approve it at the general election, but until then, the district would be able to use money from the budget under the 2 percent cap.
”I think it’s a good option,” Assemblyman DeAngelo said.
”I’m sure that if I had to look at it from a 30,000-foot view, I might think it was a good option,” board member Lynne Schwarz said. “But from where we sit, it doesn’t feel good.”
”If we start our school year with two sections of second grade, and after the November election, the voters say you can have money for an extra teacher for an extra section, then you can’t do that until next September,” board member Wendi Patella said.
”Two percent is a slim margin of error when you’re doing bus contracts and utility costs, and I get the concept of that spin, but our job is to be fiscal stewards of our township,” Mr. Ferrante said.
If moved to November, the township would save around $8,000 to $10,000 in election costs, according to Joyce Picariello, board secretary and business administrator.
But in extraordinary circumstances, such as a roof collapse, where the budget would go over cap, a special referendum would be required, costing about the same amount as holding the election in April.
Special referendums have the potential to be held four times a year and were suggested as an option by Dr. Genco with Ms. Picariello agreeing as well as several other board members, including William Schraudenbach.
”It’s harder for me to explain to my neighbors in November about a budget that’s already half over,” Mr. Ferrante said.
According to board member Evelyn Spann, liaison to the Princeton Regional School Board of Education, the Princeton board voted unanimously against moving its election, which was significant because Cranbury sends its high school students to Princeton High School.
”They had some really compelling core beliefs that this was one step towards the erosion of local control,” Ms. Spann said. “And they weren’t happy with that. They were concerned with keeping the school separate from the politics.”
”I’m not anticipating it to work for every school district,” Assemblyman DeAngelo said.
As of 5 p.m. Tuesday, 228 out of 560 school districts decided in favor of the resolution. Several other school districts have voted against the resolution while many are waiting to see what the other districts do before they decide to commit to a decision.
The suggested deadline for New Jersey’s school districts’ decision on whether or not to move their school board elections is Feb. 17.

