Most NJ School Districts Opt to Move Their Budget and Board Votes to November
By David Madden
TRENTON, N.J. (CBS) -- The vast majority of New Jersey school districts have taken advantage of a change in state law, moving their school board and budget elections from April to November, to coincide with the annual general election.
All 538 districts statewide were given the option, as a cost cutting alternative. Frank Belluscio, with the New Jersey School Boards Association, says most went for it.
"Over 85 percent of the school boards have adopted resolutions to change the school election to the November general election," he tells KYW Newsradio.
Not only do they save the cost of holding a separate election, but they are no longer required to put the annual budget to a popular vote unless it exceeds the state's two-percent-increase cap.
About 70 districts, including a half dozen in South Jersey (Haddon Heights in Camden County; and Paulsboro, Franklin, Greenwich, Monroe, and Delsea Regional, all in Gloucester County) opted to stay with the April polling date.
Belluscio says some wanted more time to consider the change, while others stayed with the status quo by choice, insisting that voters wanted their annual say on the budget.
Historically speaking, though, school board elections in New Jersey have not attracted a lot of voters.
