To gauge members’ attitudes toward possible changes in school board member and school budget elections, NJSBA surveyed 3,464 local school board members by e-mail in early June.

More than 20% of the members contacted responded to questions concerning changes in the school election date and elimination of the budget vote for amounts at or below cap.

The state Legislature is expected to consider changes in school elections when it begins deliberations over property tax reform and local government organization this summer.

Current NJSBA policy adopted by the Delegate Assembly and Board of Directors supports the elimination of budget votes for amounts at or above cap, but opposes holding school board member elections on the same day as partisan political elections.

Survey results appear below.

1. Would you support eliminating school budget elections for that portion of the budget at, or below, the spending growth limit (budget cap)?
   
   Yes – 84.2% (612)
   No – 15.8% (115)
   
   
2. Would you support a proposal to eliminate school budget elections that would also involve moving board member elections to November?
   
   Yes – 45.4% (330)
   No – 54.6% (397)
   
   
3. Would you support a plan that would consolidate school board and other non-partisan elections into a single date in the spring AND which would also eliminate school budget elections? (Non-partisan elections would include those for school board members, fire district commissioners and non-partisan municipal offices.)
   
   Yes – 71% (516)
   No – 29% (211)
   
   
4. Would you support a consolidated election date for all non-partisan offices, during which school budget proposals would also appear on the ballot?
   
   Yes – 54.1% (393)
   No – 45.9% (334)
   
   
5. Which scenario would you prefer for school board elections?
   
   15.7% (114) The current structure—that is, the same spring election date for both school board members and school budgets.
   
   34.1% (248) Eliminating school budget elections for amounts at or below cap AND conducting school board member elections in November.
   
   50.2% (365) A consolidated non-partisan election date (held in the spring) for school board members, fire commissioners and non-partisan municipal offices AND the elimination of school budget elections for amounts at or below cap.

For information about the survey, contact Frank Belluscio toll free at 1-888-886-5722, ext. 5205 or by e-mail at fbelluscio@njsba.org.