On the other side of the recent elections for the Jersey City Board of Education has been the “Change for Children” slate, who for the past few years have had financial backing from real estate developers.

After being mostly defeated in the past two elections, an incumbent who ran on the slate is running for a second term this year alongside a candidate giving it another go on the same slate, as well as a former City Council candidate running for the board.

The three of them, Trustee Alexander Hamilton, Doris “Toni” Ervin and Kenny Reyes spoke to the Hudson Reporter on what their priorities would be for the school board if they get elected in November.

Meet the candidates

Trustee Alexander Hamilton is running for a second term on the school board, having been first elected in 2019 under the same slate.

“I think that this board needs someone who understands finances, someone who gets the fact that there needs to be more review and process of how the budget is created, and really prioritizes what we’re going to do,” he said.

“You cannot create a budget unless you have a plan,” he said. “So in other words, when you go to taxpayers and you say ‘we’re going to raise the budget to a billion dollars’, you need to tell people exactly what it is you’re going to do with that money.”

Doris “Toni” Ervin is a professor of child development and education at Hudson County Community College, and the lead trainer for the resource and referral agency at the Urban League of Hudson County. She ran on the same slate last year.

“I’m running for the Jersey City Board of Education because I want to support children’s learning, as well as support and protect our taxes,” she said. “We have this big budget which has caused many crises within our families, within our city, putting a bigger hardship on our families, as well as not seeing the success that we need to see.”

Kenny Reyes is a former City Council candidate who ran for the Ward F seat in 2013. He currently works in the recruiting business with Onward Search, and is also a business development executive there.

“The reason why I am running is because there’s been a massive lack of transparency and accountability with the board with these massive tax increases that’s been going on now,” he said.

Budgets are on their minds

The slate members were critical of the recent budgeting process, saying that there’s a lack of transparency and accountability with it, and that their top priorities if elected would be to focus on the budgets.

The school budgets increased since 2018 after lawmakers in Trenton made changes to the state aid funding formula that have caused Jersey City to lose millions in funding.

The 2022-2023 school budget adopted totaled $973 million and came with a $1,611 tax increase per household. Reyes said that the budget was “an exorbitant amount of money to educate our kids,” and later called the taxes “just out of control.”

“We have to understand how are we going to allocate resources for any kind of capital projects, allocate research when it comes to the teachers contracts that’s going to come up next year as well, allocate resources when it comes to the laborers of the school district, and most importantly, our stakeholders, our children,” he said.

Hamilton, who voted against the budget, said that the reason why he did so was not because he was against kids receiving an education, but that it has gone up “to a tremendous amount of money.”

“It’s cost our residents a tremendous amount of money,” he said. “People are having to move/leave Jersey City; we don’t want to do that. But of course, if we’re also going to charge more money, we need to see better results by education.”

He said that they need to “get a hold on what this budget is, to outline where the waste is” and that they should allocate a budget officer to the district. He also said that they’re not able to pay their teachers “properly” and that they should make sure they get the “right” teachers that can help them expand.

Ervin said that her main priorities would be working with the budget they have and put in accountability, and creating a plan “that we know will make sure that the main outcome is that our children are successful.”

“Making sure the benchmarks or even looking back at things we’ve done before that didn’t work, and trying to find something else that we could put in place that will work,” she said. “That will make them successful, that would generate the achievement that we’re looking for for our children to be successful.”

She said that recruitment efforts should focus internally in the school system because they have a number of teacher assistants who have the ability “to do a lot of things.”

She also said that she’s looking into programs such as STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) to help children become more engaged and motivated to participate in school.

Real estate money

Since 2019, the “Change for Children” slate has gotten financial backing from a number of real estate developers, either via direct contributions or indirectly via a super PAC that supports them.

One of the developers that has contributed to the slate’s efforts is the LeFrak Organization, who notably played a role in redeveloping the Newport section of Downtown Jersey City.

When inquired about the past contributions from the developers, Hamilton said that he has “no issue” with it because he believes that “it would behoove everyone, especially real estate developers to have good schools.”

He also mentioned that they’re running against the “Education Matters” slate that is backed by the Jersey City Education Association union, and talked about what it means for contract negotiations next year.

“Would it be beneficial for Jersey City to have every single board member be supported by the union at this time, or would be beneficial to have at least three individuals who can make good points about the way things should be when it comes to negotiating with the union?” he said.

“What I care about is the fact that the real estate companies and developers want the same thing we want,” he continued. “They don’t want to pay high taxes. They live here. They want to continue to build for us? Great, have them build schools. They would like the schools to be better so real estate values go up and neighborhoods are safer. Who doesn’t want that?”

Ervin, who also received contributions from developers last year, said that they could work with developers “to get things done as an incentive,” arguing that they have the know-how for development and infrastructure.

Reyes followed up on Hamilton’s comments about the union and alleged that the other slate’s interest “is only for the teachers.”

“The developers that you mentioned before, we’re not beholden to them at all,” he said. “We don’t respond to them in any kind of way. Their interests and our interests are aligned.”

The LeFrak Organization had also notably taken part in a lawsuit in 2018 to overturn the city’s payroll tax that was created to fund the city’s school district, but was upheld by the state courts all the way to the state Supreme Court.

When asked about whether the developers’ opposition towards the payroll tax had anything to do with their involvement in the local school board races, both Hamilton and Reyes denied that.

To November we go

As Election Day inches closer and closer, the slate emphasized their criticism of the budget, and that they would bring accountability and transparency to the board if elected.

As he seeks a potential second term, Hamilton says that he wants to be sent back to the board so that they can get control of their fiscal budget. As for the potential first term seekers, Reyes says that they understand those who can’t “really afford this increase in taxes,” while Ervin said they will make sure the budget is “streamlined.”

“We need to get this under control, because we want to make sure that every taxpayer, every citizen, every resident of Jersey City has the right to stay here, and their children are entitled to a quality education,” said Hamilton.

The general election will take place on Nov. 8, with three three-year terms open on the Jersey City Board of Education.

For updates on this and other stories, check hudsonreporter.com and follow us on Twitter @hudson_reporter. Mark Koosau can be reached at mkoosau@hudsonreporter.com or his Twitter @snivyTsutarja.

In recent years, control of Jersey City’s Board of Education overseeing one of New Jersey’s largest school districts has primarily become a battle between two slates, one backed by the Jersey City Education Association – the local teacher’s union – and another backed by real estate developers.

Candidates on the union-backed slate, known as “Education Matters,” are going for it again this year, having previously swept the last two elections since 2020. This time around they’re being led by an incumbent who ran on the opposing slate for her first term, an independent candidate from last year, and a teacher who’s a newcomer to politics.

The three slate members, Trustee Noemi Velazquez, Afaf Muhammad and Christopher Tisdale, talked in an interview with the Hudson Reporter over eggs and hash browns at a diner in Journal Square on what they plan to bring to the Board of Education if they get elected in November.

Meet the trio

Trustee Noemi Velaquez is seeking a second term in office, having been first elected in 2019. She taught in the Jersey City school district for over 40 years, having been a teacher for 18 years before working in administrative roles such as supervisor and special assistant to the associate superintendents.

“To be honest with you, I always feel that the first time you do something, it’s a learning experience,” she said when asked about why she was running for reelection.

“Through my learning experience, and as much as I have experience within the district and within the pedagogy, through my learning experience, I realized that there’s still a lot to be done, and that I can come in and offer much more assistance.”

Afaf Muhammad is a Hudson County Democratic committeewoman in her third term, and previously ran as an independent last year. She is a mental health first aid instructor with the city’s Department of Health and Human Services, and also does volunteer work in the city.

She said that she had wanted to run on the “Education Matters” slate last year, but that there were “a lot of misunderstandings” in getting into a meeting for it, and instead ran as an independent.

“This year, running with the JCEA [backing], I think that I had a little bit of ego issues, so I had to put that stuff aside, and understand that there’s a bigger meaning for what I’m doing, and a bigger calling for me being on the board,” she said.

Christopher Tisdale is running for public office for the first time. He is currently an English teacher at Englewood and also teaches composition at Kean University.

“I’m not a politician at all, so that’s just the truth of it,” he said. “I’m just a passionate educator who believes in opportunity for all students and choice education, making sure that students have a voice, and that parents are given with options for what it is that they want for their students.”

Their top priorities

When it came to what their top priorities would be if they were elected in November, Velazquez answered that she will support Superintendent Dr. Norma Fernandez and her initiatives, saying that “change is coming, and change has already begun.”

“Her initiatives are focused on improving the district, improving pedagogy, improvement,” she said. “Anytime that our initiative is an improvement? Yes, I will. But that doesn’t mean that I sign everything. I’m not a rubber stamp. I question, I challenge, and I strongly discuss when I am not sure or I’m not contemp with something.”

Muhammad said that her top priority would be the environment of the classroom and school, saying that she sees a number of places where students’ behavior is “not being addressed properly.”

“I always teach children ‘hands to yourself, watch your language, it’s only one snapshot that a person has to see you behaving in a manner to have you be known that way all through your life’,” she said.

Muhammad continued that as a trustee, she would focus on parent involvement and the support of teachers in the classroom, and the way that students’ behavior is addressed.

Tisdale added to Muhammad’s comments by saying that the issue of the environment is predicated on “effective” leadership, and wants to ensure that they have “quality people” in positions for teachers, administrators and personnel.

“If that means that we need to look at everybody in position, and the certifications they hold, and the positions that they’re in in order to ensure that they are where they’re supposed to be, I’m for that,” he said.

“But I want to ensure that we definitely have quality people in place to do the job that we say that we’re going to do in order to move forward and strategic planning to move the district forward,” he continued.

Death, taxes and less school aid

One of the biggest topics in Jersey City’s school district that has made state headlines has been how the changes to the state aid funding formula in 2018 have caused Jersey City to lose millions in funding.

Since then, the way the yearly school budgets are drafted and adopted have become a major focus as the totals have climbed, with the 2022-2023 school year budget adopted in May costing $973 million and coming with a $1,611 tax increase per household.

Velaquez, who voted in favor of adopting the budget, said that she “always” votes for the budget with students in mind.

“When I got on this board three years ago, my focus was to ensure that the classrooms were fully funded,” she said. “That all curricula were current and that the material to address the curriculum was meeting the needs of all of the students. That takes a lot of money.”

When asked about their thoughts on the budgeting process over the past few years, Muhammad said that she hadn’t “really gave it any thought prior to this time of year,” and argued that there’s “minor things” that don’t involve a budget that needs to be addressed.

Tisdale said that money is needed “to do everything” and that education is a business. “Unfortunately, if an increase is needed because of the state’s inability to fund the school districts and it’s in the best interest of the students, I have to say, I’m gonna vote for it as well,” he said.

When later asked whether they would have voted for the recent school budget, Muhammad answered that she would have to see “where the money was gonna be allocated in-depth” but wasn’t in favor of increasing taxes. Tisdale said that he couldn’t say yes or no, but said that it would’ve been important to look for alternatives such as grants.

Union’s endorsement

The “Education Matters” slate has been endorsed by the Jersey City Education Association, the local branch of the statewide New Jersey Education Association.

Velazquez said that she was part of the union “from the very beginning” and said that the union thinks she can speak for the teachers, students and others in the district. Muhammad said she appreciates them taking her into the slate, and Tisdale said he believes in what they do as teachers.

The move of Velazquez to the union-backed slate comes as a turnaround from when was first elected in 2019, where she ran on the “Change for Children” slate that has gotten support from real estate developers, particularly a super PAC that supports them.

When asked why she decided to switch sides, Velazquez answered that the NJEA also has a super PAC (called Garden State Forward). “If that’s your question, that’s your answer,” she said. She also claimed that she never met any developers, and that they never questioned or asked her for anything.

“They endorsed me, I respected them, somebody’s gotta pay,” she said. “This is a big bill; campaigning, be it for the board or whatever, is huge.”

As November approaches, Velazquez said that their team matters, and that they are focused on “not just on a personal level, but totally on the entire scene, the district itself.” “Not because we have children on the board, but because all of the children of the board are ours,” she said. “That’s what we’re focusing on, and that’s why we’re running with the union.”

The general election will take place on Nov. 8, with three three-year terms open on the Jersey City Board of Education.

For updates on this and other stories, check hudsonreporter.com and follow us on Twitter @hudson_reporter. Mark Koosau can be reached at mkoosau@hudsonreporter.com or his Twitter @snivyTsutarja.