Clifton Board of Education opts to move school elections back to April

CLIFTON — The Board of Education voted Wednesday to return the school board elections to April. 

The move, which passed 7-1 with one abstention, also allows the local electorate to vote the school budget up or down.

“It allows the community to get more involved and know the candidates,” board President Gary Passenti said afterwards. “It also allows citizens more say on school budgets.”

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Board Attorney Derlys Gutierrez said that with the expiration of a state moratorium on switching the elections back, the board was free to make the change.

Before 2012, all school board elections statewide were held in April, and residents could vote on both the candidates and school tax proposals. In January 2012, Gov. Chris Christie signed legislation that enabled districts to move their school elections to November. 

Districts that hold November elections do not have to put the budget up for a vote, as long as it stays under the 2 percent cap on increases in taxpayer-supported spending. Clifton was among the first districts to move the elections to November. Now it is among the few who have moved it back.

“We had an opportunity,” Commissioner James Daley said. “We don’t know how long it will last.”

Daley is referring to a bill in the Legislature to extend the moratorium. The moratorium went into effect June 1, 2016, and ended May 31.

Voting against the measure was Commissioner Fahim Abedrabbo.

He said the cost alone was reason to vote no. Abedrabbo figures it costs about $100,000 to hold the election in April.

“How much does it cost to educate a student? $12,000?” he asked. “That pays for eight students.”

With the switch, Clifton is scheduled to hold a school election April 16.

Email: fagan@northjersey.com