Board of Education Candidate Julia Walker

Name:  JULIA WALKER

Address:  169 HARRISON AVENUE

Length of Time in Town:  9 YEARS

Family Life:  MARRIED, TWO CHILDREN

Education: BA, VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY, POLITICAL SCIENCE AND PHILOSOPHY

   JD, UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY

Professional Life:  STAY AT HOME MOM

Community/Political Activities:  VICE PRESIDENT, BOE WESTFIELD

Active with St. Paul's Episcopal Church outreach mission at St. John's in Elizabeth

A.    What do you think are the three biggest issues facing the Westfield public schools in this election? (Please list the issues) 

1.  Holding our collective breath while the state funding system is overhauled

2.  Overcoming our frustration with dispute resolution in collective bargaining

3.  Choosing to support the budget 

B. Please explain your positions on these issues? (Please keep your answers to 175 words per issue) 

1.  State Funding:  Property taxes stay in Westfield.  Sales and income tax dollars from Westfield end up somewhere else under the funding formula.  The funding formula must be changed to be more equitable.  Because state aid was cut to almost zero, the taxpayers are faced with the choice to approve a budget that feels unfair.  It feels unfair because Westfield schools are funded to the tune of $72 per student by the state yet the students in Elizabeth, Plainfield and Newark are all receiving over $15,000 per student in state aid.  The system is broken and it has to be fixed.  The Governor seems to see the flaws but has not produced the tools to build a better system.  This budget vote is about choosing to maintain the education of Westfield children even as the system is overhauled.

2.  Dispute Resolution in collective bargaining:  School boards must be given an even playing field when negotiating with the associations.  Currently, school boards are faced with entering into mediation with a mediator that is chosen by PERC (Public Employees Relations Commission).  Mediation leads to a resolution that is based on the agreements from around the state.   The county or state average for settlement is consistently higher than settlement terms in Westfield.  Contract terms for school employees are very different from the employment terms of individuals working in private industry.  It feels unfair that taxpayers pay taxes for salaries and benefits that feel superior to their own salary and benefits.  This system is also broken.  PERC does not adjust its findings for the changes in the economy or differences between school districts.  School boards in suburban districts have no good alternative to bargaining.

3.  Choosing to support the budget:  This budget shows a reduction of 30 positions due to a loss of state aid.  The taxpayers are faced with the choice of supporting a budget that raises taxes and eliminates 30 positions or not supporting a budget that will result in the elimination of even more positions by the Town Council.  This is a scary proposition.  The last time the budget was defeated, approximately 1% of the operating budget was cut.  That would amount to about $840,000 in more cuts.  Our school system would never be the same.

C. What is your position on Gov. Chris Christie's proposed constitutional amendment to implement a 2.5% cap on property tax increases? What impact would this impact have on the Westfield public schools? (Please keep your answer to 300 words) 

Governor Christie's proposal to control the growth of property taxes through a constitutional amendment, with the caveat that districts can vote to go above it, is a rational approach.  However, the proposed property tax cap cannot be the only answer to property tax growth.  It must be part of a package of reforms.  The state must also find a way to control special education costs, like tuition for out of district tuition, related services and transportation.  The state must address the issue of the funding formula.  If more income tax dollars and sales tax dollars came back to Westfield in the form of state aid, the property tax dollars will not be the only source of funding.

D. What is your position on the recently ratified contract with the Westfield Education Association?  (Please keep your answer to 300 words) 

The Board made a logical decision based on the information available at the time.  A great deal has been said about the timing of ratification.  It is true that the teachers' contract was ratified one week before the state aid numbers were released.  Inherent in the "why didn't you wait" question, is the notion that the Board would have been able to get all of the changes to insurance and a salary freeze.  I don't believe that option exists.

Employment under a collective bargaining agreement is not the same as at will employment.  One of the choices available to the associations is to not agree to the terms offered, yet association members still keep their jobs.  When at will employees don't agree to the terms of employment, they are shown the door.  If there is no agreement on all terms, negotiations continue and the current contract stays in force without any increase in salary. 

As much as the Governor and many people in Westfield would like to see the salaries of the teachers frozen, it is not reasonable for the Board of Education to believe that would be the outcome in dispute resolution.  (The school board cannot unilaterally declare a salary freeze.)  When a school board and an association cannot reach an agreement, a mediator is brought in from PERC (Public Employment Relations Commission).  The PERC mediator bases their decision on what is happening in the state.  At the time of settlement, the county average for teachers' salary increases was 4.17% and the state average was 4.57%.

It is also important to note that not all school districts have eliminated traditional insurance.  Many, many districts do not have a contribution from their employees toward premiums; across the state, the co-payments for office visits and prescription drugs are lower than those agreed to by the teachers under the new contract.  Again, a mediator would look to surrounding districts for guidance.  It isn't likely that a mediator would offer terms as favorable as those negotiated in February.

Controlling the skyrocketing cost of insurance was the number one priority of the Board because in FY 2009, the insurance premium went up 17%.  The health insurance premium for the district is $13 million.  Twenty four positions and 41 stipends were cut from the budget last year due to health insurance cost increases.

Ratification gave the district insurance savings equal to the salary increase.  Waiting for the state aid numbers and, in turn, not ratifying the contract would have eliminated the salary increase and the insurance savings.  There is no way to get both.  The district ends up in the same financial situation under either scenario for FY 2010.  However in FYs 2011 and 2012, the District has the advantage of the insurance changes.

E. How do you propose the Westfield public schools face the increased enrollment projections at the same time as decreasing revenues from state aid and potential caps on property tax increases? (Please keep your answer to 300 words) 

The hope is that the state government will not put Westfield in the position just described.  The Governor continues to talk about more "tools." This is the year that the state aid was cut without the accompanying tool kit.  This is the "leap of faith" year for towns like Westfield.  One must assume that the Governor's goal is to find a way to put state aid back into the suburban districts through a new funding formula.  For FY 2010, Westfield will receive $72 per student under the funding formula; Plainfield will receive $16,000 per student.  This disparity must be remedied.   

F.  What skills do you bring to this position? (Please keep your answer to 250 words) 

After years of service on the Board of Education, I believe the quality that all Board members must have is to be a good listener.  Boards of Education are advisory in nature.  They bring the community values and priorities to the school system.  How school districts operate is mandated mostly by the state and federal government.  How those mandates are implemented is where Boards of Education get involved.  I work very hard to listen to all the stakeholder involved with a given issue, often seeking out differing opinions before making a decision.  Translating what the parents, taxpayers, and students are saying into practice and policy takes time but I work at it every day I am on the Board.

G.  Why are you running for the Board of Education? (Please keep your answer to 250 words) 

I, like so many people living in Westfield, believe that a good education is the greatest gift we can offer our children. I want the Westfield schools to continue to be among the very best in the state.  School systems are dynamic places.  The faculty, the administration, the students, the parents, the state rules and regulations and the federal rules and regulations are always changing.  With those changes comes opportunity.  I see opportunities across our district as the student population decreases at the elementary level and increases at the middle and high school level.  Recognizing those opportunities comes from sitting at the Board table for the last seven years.  My work is not done yet. 

H.   How do you intend on balancing the responsibilities of elected office with your personal and professional obligations? (Please keep your answer to 250 words) 

It is hard.  I am very fortunate to have a husband who supports my decision to volunteer sometimes as much as 20 hours a week.  I have great friends and neighbors who help.

I.   Are the Westfield public schools better off than where they were three years ago?

(Please keep your answer to 250 words) 

Yes.  More special education students are being educated in their own community.  Westfield continues to make improvements in the achievement gap.  Westfield continues to have high marks on the NJ ASK as the student population increases.  Westfield continues to hone the curriculum to meet the wants and needs of the community.  Drivers'  Education was added to the high school curriculum.  A second French AP class was added at the high school.  The technology curriculum at the middle school was re-written to include more advanced instruction because of the students' use of computers in the elementary schools.  More students participated in more county/regional/state competitions in more sports than in prior years.  More students took band and orchestra in the elementary schools than in years past.  More and more students participate in the middle school drama and musical each year.  More children are taking advantage of the opportunities offered in the Westfield schools and more opportunities are presented each year.

Editor's Note: These questions were provided to all four candidates for the Board of Education and these answers are in their own words. Space limits were provided on each question. Editing was done for grammar and style but not substance. These questions and answers are provided to allow you the voter to hear directly from the candidates on the key issues impacting the public schools.