Letter to the Editor: Elect Neighbors You Trust with The Future of Your Children

To The Editor:

It has been my pleasure to serve as a trustee of the Franklin Lakes Board of Education since May of 2011. The following commentary is my personal opinion and not that of the Board. Since a) my wife accuses me of being loquacious b) I'm trying to keep this brief and c) my mother taught me to keep it positive, here is my concise input on this year’s dynamic election cycle.

Board of Ed: 
Kathy Schwartz: Experienced, Team Player, Respectful 
Margaret Bennett: Passionate, Curriculum Knowledge 
Michael Ben David: Educator, Qualified Resume 
Jackie Veliky: Dedicated, Organized, CPA

Claims of poor fiscal stewardship of BOE by some in our community: Unfounded and unsupported. Budget and tax increases for last two years were less than 1%, below inflation and below state caps, compared to over 4% in prior years. Targeted investments have shown demonstrated ROI, as evidenced by improvement in technology, settled teachers’ contract, leading position on merit pay and the District’s preparedness for Common Core Standards.

Political attacks focused on employees of our schools: Ill informed, unprofessional, and a poor reflection on our community. Further, since current Trustees and Administrators are prohibited from discussing personnel matters in public, these tactics reflect poorly on the attackers rather than on those being attacked.

In summary, our community and its trustees have been confronted with some difficult situations over the past few years. When casting your vote, I contend that you should focus heavily on the manner in which those who served and those who seek to serve have conducted themselves. The challenges ahead will be greater still. Elect the neighbors you trust with the future of your children.

Sincerely, 
James Martino
Franklin Lakes 

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