Oakland Splits on School Budget 1

For the Oakland schools serving K-8 students, voters approved the new budget by a vote of 621-to-593: a margin of 29 votes. The same residents voted down the budget for the regional high schools by 599-to-630: a margin of 31 votes….

If ever a situation shows that every vote counts, this one did. It is estimated that only 13% of Oakland’s eligible voters turned out to cast ballots. This is a surprisingly low number in relation to the sizable proportion of tax dollars spent on the school system. The candidates for Oakland’s Board of Education, James Gaffney, John Scerbo and Russell Talamini, all won as expected. The three candidates ran unopposed.

The regional high school’s budget was approved only by residents in Wyckoff. Franklin Lakes residents, like Oakland’s, voted against the measure . Franklin Lakes voters also defeated the budget for their local K-8 schools. School officials were quick to blame the defeat on voter apathy.

The relationship between voters and school boards has always been a stormy one, even being the target of Mark Twain’s castigating wit. And it is not a situation particular to New Jersey. Syvia Di Donato, a school board official in Canada, believes poor communication may explain low voter turnout. “What I’d like to see is a better form of communication with the entire community,” she said in an interview with Montreal’s Chronicle. “Most of our constituents don’t realize what commissioners do and how the school board functions. I think people need to be made aware.”

Asking voters to come out on April 15th, Tax Day, to approve an increase in taxes may have played a role in the low voter turnout. But numbers across the country show voter apathy with school boards and budgets is widespread, and candidates running for election unopposed is indicative of the situation. The trend is clear, but all communities are not falling victim to it. In Jacksonville, North Carolina, The Chamber of Commerce brought together the candidates running for election to discuss in a forum the issues facing the community and the schools.

Concerns of ineffective communication with the community is an issue other boards are addressing in response to their budgets being voted down. Deborah Genthner, of the Fremont School Board in New Hampshire, expressed the need for some kind of formal public relations thrust after their budget was rejected. She will be heading up a public relations effort to oversee placing board information in the school newsletter, the town newsletter, and local newspapers.

The Oakland Journal is ready and willing to provide forums for all parties and individuals who are interested in expressing their views on this and many other subjects. In the spirit of citizen journalism and community journalism, we invite all interested parties, both in favor and against budget increases, to help inform the public about the school budget issues. (Check out the other feature article in The Oakland Journal, “Viral Marketing?”.)

Congratualtions to James Gaffney, John Scerbo, and Russell Talamini, for stepping up to the plate on behalf of the Oakland community.