Opinion: Education, Taxes Key to Board of Education Success

Dear Neighbors,

My name is John Carolan and I am seeking your support in the election for the Wyckoff Board of Education.

I am well-positioned to balance our very strong academic standards with the current realities faced by all taxpayers. We are fortunate in Wyckoff to have an outstanding and award winning program that makes our community a highly desirable place to raise a family. In fact, the school system was the main reason my wife and I chose Wyckoff as our home, and we have two children in the school system.

I’m also a taxpayer, however, and I understand that we all have budgets we must work within. Our recent economic challenges have been stressful on many of our residents, especially our seniors who live on fixed incomes. Wyckoff is a community that has always valued spending its tax dollars wisely and part of that fiscal responsibility lies with the board of education since it is the largest part of our tax bill. 

On a personal level, I’ve benefited from a strong education. I am a first generation American and one of the greatest gifts my parents provided me with was a good education. Growing up in Clifton my parents instilled in me the value of a great education. They encouraged me to work hard in school because it was one of the main reasons they came to the United States.  As the first in my family to receive a college degree, I earned a B.A in political science at Rutgers University, and later a MBA in marketing at Saint Joseph University, I have continued to value strong education as a guiding principle in my life, and I will continue to do so for our township if provided this opportunity.

Supporting academic excellence with fiscal responsibility is a challenging task and one that I am well prepared to deliver for our township. I have 23 years of business experience at a Fortune 500 company. Every day, my management role requires me to make significant decisions that balance the need to create value with the economic realities of limited budgets. Those skills are exactly what we need to keep Wyckoff education strong and property taxes reasonable. 

For these reasons, I urge you to vote for me — John Carolan — this November 6.

Sincerely,
John A. Carolan

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