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BOE Elections :We have excellent schools today, but the District faces numerous challenges if it is to maintain this position
by James Morgan
On Monday, I filed petitions to run in the April 17 election for the Ridgewood Board of Education for the one year term unexpired term.
I did so because I believe that the Board can and must do much more to serve the Village’s children and taxpayers. The BOE sets the District’s policies and provides operational oversight. Only by fully and openly discussing how it performs these duties can the Board make the best decisions for our schools’ future. I believe that I can make a difference by expanding the public’s involvement in the Board’s deliberations.
We have excellent schools today, but the District faces numerous challenges if it is to maintain this position. Every resident of the Village should be concerned with this election regardless whether or not they have a child in school. Beyond the future of our children, the continued excellence of Ridgewood’s Public Schools is the most important driver of our home values. The school budget of almost $90 million represents 2/3 of our real estate taxes. I believe that I can offer a constructive voice on behalf of everyone in Ridgewood.
The challenges facing our schools are significant. Among these are Ridgewood’s below average peer district average test scores at the middle and high school for the last two years, a technology plan driven by hardware rather than curriculum opportunities, an expired teachers’ contract, incomprehensible budgets presentations and a Board structure that excludes the public from participation.
While these matters require reform, my greatest concern is the Board’s approach to spending our tax dollars. Several years ago, the state capped the ability of local school boards to annually increase property taxes at 2%. The Board has incorrectly used the 2% tax increase cap on as a goal for planning the District’s operating expense budget.
This attitude is best captured in the remarks by BOE member Bob Hutton at Monday’s meeting. In commenting on how the draft budget was constructed, Bob remarked that “we know what the answer is, $1.8 million or 2%” This is an attitude can be summed up by the phase “we have it, let’s spend it”. This is a mindset that I want to change at the BOE.
The Board should be requiring the staff to justify every dollar of spending. Instead, the Board concentrates in the incremental spending and does not question whether the base from prior years is the best way to accomplish our educational goals. In Mr Hutton’s view, the 2% tax increase is there for the taking. A different approach is not impossible. Next year Glen Rock is adding teachers and programs yet keeping taxes flat. This is what Ridgewood’s Board should be setting as its goal.
This election offers the opportunity to make a positive change in the way the Board of Education does business. I am asking the people of Ridgewood to vote for me for the one-year Board seat in the April 17 election. For further information, contact me at jim.morgan.for.ridgewood.boe@gmail.com.
