Candidates running for seats the Princeton Public Schools Board of Education weighed in favorably about a decision board members made on Oct. 9 to have a smaller facilities referendum in two months.
Challenger Daniel J. Dart commended officials for voting “wisely” to place on the Dec. 11 ballot a $26.9 million referendum that would meet “critical facilities needs.”
“This important decision will help the community heal from a difficult process and provide more time for the community to unify behind a plan to address future enrollment growth of our great schools,” he said on Oct. 10. “I believe strongly in a collaborative approach and am very excited the board is embracing more transparency and inclusiveness.”
“It’s great that the amount of the bond and the tone of the debate have both changed,” challenger Mary Clurman said on Oct. 10. “There is no indication this would have happened without the pressure that was put on the board by our questions, which in turn gathered growing community support.”
Board members had looked at having a much larger proposal, for $129.6 million, but they faced pushback from residents concerned about the tax impact and skeptical of the justification for so big a proposal. More recently, officials floated the possibility of an $82.5 million referendum.
But this week, the board members advanced a smaller plan to address infrastructure needs at all schools and seek more community input, with an eye toward having another referendum in 2019.
“I think it’s a good first step, but it doesn’t adequately address the overcrowding and rising enrollment and that’s something we will need to return to soon,” board member and incumbent Dafna Kendal said on Oct. 10.
“I think this is a great outcome,” challenger Brian J. McDonald said on Oct. 10 of this week’s decision. “The community gets to vote on a smaller package of critical needs while having more time to understand and validate the needs, stress-test the proposed solutions while considering alternate ideas suggested by residents, work to mitigate the tax impact, especially on our most vulnerable residents, and put in place a staffing plan to ensure that whatever projects are approved are delivered as planned, on time and on budget.”
Board member Betsy Baglio, the other incumbent in the race, could not be reached for comment.
The board’s decision this week comes with less than a month to go before voters go to the polls on Nov. 6 to choose three members of the board, in a contest featuring five candidates. Board President Patrick Sullivan is the lone incumbent not seeking re-election.
The referendum has figured prominently into the campaign. At a League of Women Voters forum on Oct. 4, the candidates spent an hour of a 90-minute event answering questions just about that topic.