Opinion: The Vanishing School Budget Vote
November School Elections: Devil in the details
Earlier this year, Governor Chris Christie signed a bill passed with bi-partisan support that allows school boards to move their elections from the typically low-turn out April date to November. Supporters of the bill say the November election will increase voter participation, while detractors fear the non-partisan nature of the races will be tainted by the mainstream November partisan politics. Both arguments make a solid case for and against moving the election, which is why it is important for each school board to decide which model suits them best.
Toms River Regional Schools is a unique district. Our district boasts one of the largest budgets, bus fleets and suburban student enrollments in the entire state. Like most New Jersey municipalities, Toms River’s $200 million school budget exceeds the Toms River $98 million municipal budget. Besides the financial implications there are livelihoods at stake. The Toms River Regional School district is the largest employer in Toms River. April’s election decides how our tax dollars, school policy and district oversight are handled. All these issues and more should not be shoved into an already issue-packed November election.
Coming back to the budget, it should be noted that with a move to November, the voters would lose their right to vote on the school budget. As long as the school budget increase falls beneath the state mandated 2% cap, the budget will no longer be on the ballot. Simple math will tell you that a 2% increase on a $200 million budget is an annual $4 million tax increase—but the devil is in the details. The 2% cap has so many loopholes that we could see increases as high as 10%. For example, the recent municipal budget in Toms River fell within the 2% cap, while the actual taxes increased from $57 million to over $61 million—a 7.6% increase. Voters in Toms River should demand to keep their right to vote on future budgets to ensure fiscal accountability.
Taking our district’s uniqueness into account, it remains a rare bird that will not be better served by November elections. A district that affects the tax burden of 110,000 residents in four towns deserves its own election and focus should be given to those issues. When I decided to run for the Toms River Board of Education in 2011, the April election allowed the issues of all candidates to be heard and debated. I ran with a bi-partisan team who’s concern was to better the Toms River educational system. All the political rhetoric and election noise in November would only dissuade new candidates from running and not give educational issues the attention they deserve.
Lastly, given our size, perhaps our district should not be the first ones to jump in the pool. Most educational reforms from Trenton prove to be disastrous to local governments and boards, so why should we be the first large system to make such a move now? In a Presidential election year, there may be too many cooks in the kitchen to inform the public of election issues via the press or public debates.
The Toms River School Board will vote to move the election this Thursday at a Special Board meeting at Toms River High School South at 6:30pm. I ask all residents of our district to come to the meeting and express your concerns—for or against a move to November—but looking at the big picture, I say we should keep our elections in April.
Ben Giovine is a Member of the Toms River School Board. He can be reached at bgiovine@trschools.com
fairplaytr
9:40 am on Thursday, February 9, 2012
It makes sense to move the election as the April date has a poor turn out. Givovine and his fellow dems. are just worried that they won't be able to sneak anyone in if the turn out is bigger.
fairplaytr
9:56 am on Thursday, February 9, 2012
Giovine is playing the political game well. He obviously is the democratic pawn on the BOE and it's his job to ensure that they bring more of their own on board. By moving the election date they have less of a chance in making that happen.
Project Bluebeam
10:12 am on Thursday, February 9, 2012
"Political rhetoric" and "election noise"... is that code for people with opposing views? What's next...democrats have to be listed in bold font and highlighted on all sample election ballots? Maybe Ben is just opposed to the "chattering class" (as Chuck Schumer puts it) exercising their first amendment rights.
politicalgames
10:19 am on Thursday, February 9, 2012
Since when is it ethical for a sitting BOE member to try and sway the public opinion in this type of forum? Givovine and the other members of his party are playing dirty under the guise of looking out for the public.
Tired of the status quo
11:29 am on Thursday, February 9, 2012
And you all think that the Ritacco regime was clean? Weren't most of the people who were "elected" to the "old" BOE backed either by the Republican party or Ritacco? Did any of them ask for the PUBLICS input? Oh, that's right the "BOSS" i.e. Frank Roselli doesn't want them to do that. He like Ritacco forget who they work for. The taxpayers!!! Isn't the idea behind the school board that they should be NON PARTISAN and put the taxpayers and the students of the district first and not their own political and family appointments first? This division with either party is what has not only this school board but, the entire country in the shape that we are in. It is not whether there is a D or an R after the persons name it is what they are going to do to help the ENTIRE collective us. Lets stop looking at what political party a person does or does not belong to and listen to what they have to say and then mull it in our own minds and then make an INFORMED decision of our own and not what the political powers to be want is to make. Come out to tonight's meeting and listen for yourself and make your own decision. It is not only to coin a Ritacco phrase "FOR THE CHILDREN" but, it is also for each and everyone of the taxpayers of this district.
concerned parent
11:56 am on Thursday, February 9, 2012
The new BOE members claim to have the childrens best interest at heart but they have yet to attend any plays, concerts, or sporting events to show their support. I guess they are too busy planning their next political move.
Fedup
12:58 pm on Thursday, February 9, 2012
That is funny. A concerned parent who has the time to attend every school event in the Toms River school system. Let me know how you are able to accomplish such a feat.
Greg
3:04 pm on Thursday, February 9, 2012
I attended many events with either my neighbors or my own children for many years and other than graduation I personally have never see ANY of the BOE members at any of the sporting event,academic events or school plays. So, why should things change. I didn't know that was part of the requirement to become a BOE member. Where were all of you critics when Ritacco and the rest of his cronies were STEALING money from the taxpayers? I forgot :IT'S FOR THE CHILDREN." Just one more thought about the BOE members not attending any of the sporting events, academic events or even plays perhaps they are not teachers and have a job that requires them to be there during those times.
Spock's Brain
1:20 pm on Thursday, February 9, 2012
This vote is not about moving the election to November. It is about taking control of the school budget out of the hands of the taxpayers and putting it in the hands of Board Members and Bureaucrats. If this gets passed, the school taxes can be raised astronomically without a vote from us - the taxpayers. All of you that support this move to November need to wake up. I don't know what your agenda is but you obviously don't care about your own property taxes because they are going through the roof if this passes.
We will see 5-10% tax increases every year without a vote on a budget. The 2% cap is a sham to dupe people that don't pay attention. The Toms River municipal taxes went up 7.6% this year without going over the 2% cap because of all the loopholes. If vote passes, the school board will start doing the same thing.
Let's get out to this meeting and tell the board members that they shouldn't take away our right to vote on future school budgets.
grey shoes
1:37 pm on Thursday, February 9, 2012
Get real spock...the Democrats love the idea that very few people come out to vote at the April elections. That's why it makes so much sense to move them to November. This scares the poop out of Giovine and his crew, they may never get what they want if the move happens.
Spock's Brain
3:03 pm on Thursday, February 9, 2012
Hey Grey Shoes -
I don't have a problem with a November election. I just know that if this School Board (or any group of Beaurocrats) has the right to raise our taxes without a vote, that is just what they will do. The vote on the school budget provides an important check and balance to keep our school taxes under control.
This should not be about Political Parties - This is about doing what is right for the Toms River taxpayers.
And Giovine might be a Democrat, but he ran with Alex Pavliv, who is a REAL Republican and has credentials on fighting against the waste and mismanagement of the PHONE Ocean County Republicans.
pullin the wool over your eyes
2:06 pm on Thursday, February 9, 2012
Giovine has a lot of nerve trying to sway the thoguhts of the public. He and his two friends on the board are doing exactly what they accuse the other board members of doing looking out for themselves and thier party rather than the public interests.
Seriously?
3:57 pm on Thursday, February 9, 2012
It doesn't matter when the school board elections are -- they could be on Christmas Day for all I care. The whole educational system in the TRRSD is dirty and it will take years to clean up, if at all. In the meantime, open your wallets and watch your money go into someone else's back pocket. The smell of Ritacco still permeates this town.
copperpot
4:16 pm on Thursday, February 9, 2012
vote.
they were voted in
lets be real
9:25 pm on Thursday, February 9, 2012
Ben nicely written. But let's have a little transparancy from our three newly elected board members. Moving the election to November just erased any possibility of adding a fifth democrat to the board.. Jack Ruether (the "i'm not political" democrat) already voted last year to get rid of Rep. lawyer Tom Monahan, (Gilmores partner,) with Giovine, Reimer, and Pavliv. Looks like Stephan Leone the Democratic lawyer that funded last years election wasted a whole bunch of time and money, Elections in Toms River have always been about the lawyer, and this is no different.