Townsend, Ellis, Clift to Headline Workshop 2007

65 Districts Propose Second Ballot Questions

NJSBA: School Construction Delay Breaks Promise

Dahme to Leave State Board

Fulton, Parker Sworn In

Deadline April 27: Curriculum Fair, Question & Answer Roundtable Proposals

NJSBA Plans Legislative Days

Sample Documents on Superintendent Contracts Online

Boards Must Tell Mandates Council of Amicus Plans

NJSBA Delegate Assembly Handbook Mailing

Handwritten Notes Not Subject to OPRA

Calendar

Click here for a pdf version of this issue of School Board Notes

Sixty-five school boards will ask voters to decide one or more second ballot questions in the April 17 Annual School Election. Last year, 57 districts submitted additional ballot questions to voters.

Close to one-third of this year’s second questions would retain existing staff or programs.

Second ballot questions represent expenditures above a school district’s state-imposed tax-levy cap and must specify the programs, services or positions to be funded. The questions must also state whether the funding would represent a permanent increase in the school district’s base budget, or if it would be a one-time expenditure.

Changes on Way Beginning next year, New Jersey’s new 4 percent property tax cap law will place a number of additional restrictions on second questions. Election observers anticipated that the prospective changes would sharply increase the number of second ballot requests this year.

On April 17, 65 school districts will request a total of 87 second questions – an increase of eight districts and 15 questions over 2006.

The 2007 school election marks the last time a simple majority of voters will be needed to approve second questions. In 2008, a supermajority—60 percent—of participating voters would have to approve the proposals.

Additionally, this year, rejected ballot questions can still be implemented in whole or in part following municipal government review. In 2008, that review process will no longer take place for second questions; voter action will be final.

Candidates, Base Budgets In 553 of the state’s local school districts, voters will select school board members on April 17. Statewide, 2,173 candidates are vying for 1,627 local board of education positions. In 549 communities, voters will act on proposed operating, or base, budgets.

Construction Questions Eighteen school boards will also ask voters to approve bond referendums for construction projects.

School districts may also propose organizational changes during the Annual School Election.

In three communities, voters will decide whether to reduce the number of members on their school boards; and the West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional School District is proposing a change in how it apportions costs between its two municipalities. The plan would change cost-apportionment from a system based on property valuation to one that uses each community’s student enrollment.