Schools

Ridgewood BOE Votes to Change Election Date

School elections will be held in November instead of April, without an annual vote on the district budget.

The Ridgewood Board of Education opted on Monday night to move school elections from April to November, in turn eliminating annual voter approval of the district budget.

The resolution, following months of discussion and solicitations of public opinion from district officials, passed by a 4-1 vote.

Board member Christina Krauss, who previously expressed discomfort with the prospect of taking away the public's vote on the budget, cast the lone dissenting vote.

In discussions on the policy move, board members as well as Superintendent Dan Fishbein estimated that the district would save much of the $43,000 cost of operating a dedicated school election that has seen low turnout numbers in recent years.

Officials have also said that the state's 2 percent cap on budget increases, as well as a new board goal to explore spending options below the cap, will check budget growth even without a referendum. 

New spending in excess of the cap would still go to voters, but that has been an uncommon occurrence in districts that changed the date. Only three school districts voted on a budget earlier this month.

Since state law began allowing the election change in 2012, most New Jersey districts have made the move, and Ridgewood is one of only 39 districts to have voted this past April.

Should the law remain the same, Ridgewood may reconsider the change of date after four years.


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