Saturday, April 16, 2016

Thinking Outside the Slate

Eight individuals are seeking your vote for three seats on the Board of Education.

The school board election is supposed to be nonpartisan, but six of the eight are on slates, three backed by Mayor Adrian O. Mapp and three backed by the Campbells. Each of these backers has formidable skills at getting out the vote, so Tuesday's election may end up being another battle of the political Titans.

Personally, I found myself coming away from the Plainfield Education Association's candidates' forum thinking I would vote for one from Column A and one from Column B and one free-standing candidate, because they were the most impressive to me and appeared to offer qualifications and skills needed at this juncture in the district's history.

Now, don't look for columns on the ballot, that was just a figure of speech. There is just one long row of names on the ballot, along with the budget question.I am not going to say which ones appealed to me, but If you were not among the attendees at the three forums, I urge you to look at the information candidates provided to the Plainfield League of Women Voters.

Some of the impressions I had from the PEA forum were corroborated, for me, by what I heard at the LWV forum.

The incumbents claim great strides in the district as their reason why voters should choose their slate. Mayor Mapp knows that the reputation of the Plainfield school district needs to improve, if his plans for city's future are to be fully realized. As for the independent candidates, it takes a lot of conviction to commit to three years of meetings and hard decisions affecting more than 1,000 employees and 7,500 to 8,000 children and their families.

Whatever impressions or feelings you got from the forums or may get from reading the candidate information, please, please go to the polls between 2 and 9 p.m. Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi has announced a new voter app to provide election information and help is also available through the City Clerk's office.

Every voter can choose three school board candidates. Pick a slate or consider individuals, but make sure you vote on Tuesday, April 19!  

--Bernice

4 comments:

  1. Thanks for an non-partisan blog that don't tell people how to think, but just think for yourself .

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  2. Sadly, I didn't learn about the candidates' forum until it was almost over. I've read the LWV information three times, but would also love to know what you came away with from the meeting.

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  3. We are in agreement on one of each. I vote for the person, not the tug of war to determine who's town this is.

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