By Charles W. Kim, Managing Editor
Board of Education members voted unanimously Monday night to move the annual school elections to November.
“The bottom line here is that it saves money,” board member Barry Nathanson said. “It really doesn’t change anything. We are still doing the same process; the best budget will be on the table anyhow.”
Gov. Chris Christie signed legislation last month that allowed districts across the state to move from the traditional April elections for board members and school budgets to the November general election.
According to officials, the move would save taxpayers in the township $36,000. They also hope it will increase voter participation in choosing members for the board. It also will eliminate voting on school budgets that fall at or below the state mandated 2 percent cap.
According to the law, districts opting to move the elections must do so for at least four years before being able to switch back to April.
Board President Dr. Stephen Parker said those current members whose terms normally would end in April would be extended until the new board is seated January 2013.
Those members include Dr. Parker, Mr. Nathanson and Elizabeth Chang. Ms. Chang has said she does not plan to seek re-election for her seat on the panel. Both Dr. Parker and Mr. Nathanson have said they are considering running for the board again, but had not yet made a decision.
Almost half of the more than 500 districts throughout the state have made the move since Gov. Christie signed the bill.
State Assembly Majority Leader Lou Greenwald, D-Camden, put out a press release Tuesday that said 225 districts, including South Brunswick, have made the move so far, and that will save taxpayers money throughout the state.
“April school votes are a costly charade, but because of this law, school boards are giving voters better control while saving property taxpayers the costs of yet another election,” Mr. Greenwald said in the release. “The progress we have seen on this issue is a great example of what we can accomplish by bringing people together to find solutions instead of relying on name-calling, divisiveness and 30-second sound bites.”
Although supporting the move Monday night, several members did express concerns about not being able to cast a vote for the budget, which was $134 million last year with a $94 million local tax levy.
“While I agree that more people will come out to vote, and that there is a cost savings, that cost savings comes at a price,” board member Dan Boyle said. “It comes at the price of the public’s right to vote on the budget.”
Mr. Boyle said giving up that right was “giving up a liberty” and is something that should be considered very carefullyHe also said he was concerned the elections, which the law specifically states would not be partisan, could turn into partisan contests at some point in the future.
Mr. Boyle said he was voting in favor of the move because he feels there are some protections in the law regarding taxpayers and the budget and it is the best way to fulfill his role on the board.
He also said residents should begin to lobby Trenton to put more protections into the law to keep the elections nonpartisan.
Dr. Parker said the new law eliminating a vote on the budget as long as it remains at or under the state cap does not remove the responsibility of board members to provide “the best education this community can afford.”
“That is a balance that we always have to achieve,” Dr. Parker said.
He also said it might be possible the state would mandate moving the elections if a vast majority of districts have moved it to November already.
During the public portion of the meeting, Monmouth Junction resident Lisa Rodgers asked the board how residents would know how the budget was being crafted compared to how it has been done in years when the public voted on it.
“The value of a public hearing (on the budget) and the concerns that are raised may be negated,” Ms. Rodgers said. “As long as it is under the 2 percent, it would be passed. There is a concern out there that it won’t really matter what the public’s position is on certain matters.”
She also asked the board to wait for a year before making the move to see how it works in other districts.
“My concern is that this vote, the (school) vote, would be overshadowed by the presidential election,” Ms. Rodgers said.
Schools Superintendent Dr. Gary McCartney said the board builds the budget based on very clearly articulated goals.
“We hope there is a level of trust (with the board),” Dr. McCartney said.

