Vote April 19 - #2 Yafet, #4 Le Blanc, #5 Kornegay
The ISSUES facing our district, The ISSUES we’re addressing
.Budget.
.Corruption.
.Lobbying for Our Fair Share.
.Maintenance and Facilities.
.Open Government.
.Property Taxes.
.Safety.
.Special Education.
.Standards & Commitment.
.Teachers in the Classroom.
.Technology.
.Test Scores.
.Transportation.
Budget.
Team 2-4-5 is committed to a responsible budget that takes into account the burden that taxpayers and working families face with their property tax bills.
We believe that the board must continue to hold back excessive budget increases. So much of tax increases are a result of excessive insurance and state special education costs. This means we must lobby Trenton to help working-class school districts like Hillside meet these costs.
STAY TUNED FOR THE “FACTS & FIGURES” OF THE TEAM 2-4-5 PLAN
Corruption
Not more than three years ago, Union County politicians controlled the school board. In their reign, property taxes soared, the educational program showed little results, and connected campaign contributors got overpaid for low quality (if any) work.
After a reform movement by parents and citizen leaders, auditors gave the district's financial bookkeeping a clean bill of health.
A clean government, one that awards contracts and jobs to qualified and affordable applicants, rather than to political players, ensures that taxes don’t go out of control and that reliable services are provided.
Lobbying for Our Fair Share.
We need to keep pressure on Trenton and on our district’s representatives to give Hillside its fair of school funding. The state has not even awarded Hillside funding adjusted for inflation, meaning that, in effect, the state has underfunded Hillside schools. This is a major, yet hidden reason why school property taxes are so high.
Maintenance & Facilities.
Decades of school boards did nothing as the physical plant of our schools deteriorated. Leaking roofs, warped floors, and inadequate heating creates an unhealthy and uncomfortable learning environment for students. “Team 2-4-5” is committed to continuing efforts to fix up our schools one at a time. Taking action now will safe us money in the long run.
Open Government.
“Team 2-4-5” believes that school board meetings should be easy for parents and citizens to be heard. Records and budget documents should be readily available. The board should allow the public to hold the board’s actions accountable.
Property Taxes.
See "BUDGET".
Residency.
“Team 2-4-5” believes that the district must have zero-tolerance for out-of-district students illegally attending our schools. This creates crowding conditions, which are expensive to alleviate. Last year, school board investigators excluded almost a hundred of out-of-district students. We must continue these efforts.
Safety.
The safety of our schools and students is a major concern. We must have a security staff in each school. We should install affordable security systems to protect valuable electronic property in the schools. We support the board’s efforts to work with the Hillside Police Department to ensure that students and citizens are safe during the morning and afternoon “rush” periods before and after school hours.
Special Education.
As an incumbent, Nathalie Eve Yafet was instrumental in her support for the I.E.P. program that provides educational services for special needs students. These students would otherwise have to attend out-of-district schools at a very high cost. The in-district program allows the board to save on expensive transportation fees. The board also sees more savings from charging tuition to out-of-district students who wish to attend that I.E.P. program.
