BOE candidate filings inform local, regional races

Pascack Press illustration

PASCACK VALLEY—Pascack Valley voters will go to the polls on Nov. 5 with a presidential election uppermost on their minds and relatively few contested elections for school board, as only one regional district and two local races feature more challengers than open seats.

As the school board candidate filing deadline approached and passed July 29, Pascack Press monitored filings with the county Board of Elections and compiled an unofficial list of future candidates.

On a local level, school board trustees manage the largest slice of the municipal budget, often comprising more than 60% of the local property tax bite. Generally, on average, municipal taxes comprise 25% of local property taxes and county taxes account for 10%, Although school budgets are required to not exceed 2% annual increases, exceptions can be made. 

Moreover, budgets are mostly shaped and approved by education professionals and school trustees, and do not require voter approval. Only a few districts statewide still hold a vote on the annual school budget.

Generally, over the last few years, school districts have been a flashpoint for controversy and contention, with parents’ rights groups and individual parents demanding more control and input over curriculum content, often concerning gender identification, transgender rights, sex education, and gay issues discussed in classrooms.

On a regional level, the Westwood Regional School District Board of Education, which serves K-12 students from Westwood and Township of Washington, has been roiled by issues such as age-appropriate content in sex education, gay pride sign displays, parental notification and opt-out procedures for students whose parents oppose certain curriculum content.

Last November the Westwood regional board saw a defeat of four so-called “parental rights” candidates, who were replaced with candidates advocating an equitable public education for all students. See “Voters reject ‘parental rights’ candidates; local BOE changes,” Michael Olohan, Nov. 13, 2023, Pascack Press.

This year, three open seats are uncontested. Filing for one, three-year term representing the Township of Washington is  Jorge Pertuz, who last year won election for an unexpired one-year term. Also filing for two full-term Westwood seats open are incumbent Andrea Peck, and newcomer Carol Sue Mountain. 

Pertuz’s slogan is “Back On Track.” Peck’s slogan is “Education, Civility, Collaboration” and Mountain’s slogan is “Voice of Reason.”

On Pascack Valley Regional High School District’s school board, three seats are open and only River Vale’s seat is contested. Incumbent Gia C. DeGuzman is running unchallenged for Hillsdale’s open seat and incumbent Debra K. Stephans is running uncontested for one open Montvale seat.

Competing for River Vale’s open seat are incumbent Kathleen “Katie” Keller and Eli Moallem.  Moallem’s slogan is “Common Sense.”

Two contested local BOE elections

In the Pascack Valley, only Montvale and Park Ridge school boards feature contested races for open seats. 

In Montvale, two seats are open and incumbents Christopher N. Colla and Ernie J. DiFIore are running as a team to reclaim their seats. Opposing them is Zaheera Khan, under the slogan “Supporting Student Education.” Colla and DiFiore run under the slogan, “Experienced, Conservative, Fair.”

In Park Ridge, two seats are open and incumbent David Bradler is joined by newcomer David Shelton Hollers Jr., who are running as a team. Opposing them is Christopher A. Amitrano, under the slogan, “Cut Your Taxes.”

In uncontested school board races, incumbent Emerson Board president Behrooz Pazdar is running for one open seat.  In Hillsdale, incumbent Board President Justin Saxon, and incumbent trustee Kevin Donatello, are running for the two open seats. 

On Tuesday, Sept. 17, the Hillsdale district holds its second referendum on George White Middle School with a $62.4 million renovation proposal before the public. Saxon and Donatello support the referendum, which offers the public a vote on two proposals: one for a full renovation of the middle school, and one to add a new two-story wing with six new classrooms.

In River Vale’s uncontested school board race, incumbents Cheryl Berkowitz and Arthur W. White have filed for two open seats. In Woodcliff Lake, incumbent board president Jeffrey Hoffman, and incumbent trustees Robert Wolpov and Cristen K. Giblin have filed for the three open seats.