Delivered to 15,000 Plainfield "doorsteps" Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday

Monday, April 20, 2009

School Board Endorsements: Dan, Jerry, Estevez

Pat Barksdale
Line 1
Joe Ruffin, Sr.
Line 4
Joanne Hollis
Line 6
Tammy Westbrook
Line 10


Plainfield voters go to the polls tomorrow to elect four members of the school board -- 3 for three-year terms, and one for two years to fill the balance of the term of Vickey Sheppard, who resigned.

Continuing the practice he began when he first ran now-mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs for the School Board, Assemblyman Jerry Green has endorsed a slate: Brenda Gilbert, Mahogany Hendricks, Lisa Logan-Leach and Katherine Peterson.



Would you vote for a team that can't even get its line numbers right?
Better think twice.



You should know there are alternatives to the Green Machine.

I am also endorsing a slate, though as an individual and not the leader of a partisan political party (school board elections are supposed to be non-partisan).

I am endorsing --
  • Pat Barksdale (line 1)
  • Joe Ruffin, Sr. (line 4)
  • Joanne Hollis (line 6)
  • Tammy Westbrook (line 10)
The four are running together as 'Team 1463'.

I have known and worked with these four in support of various community activities -- some for many years. They bring experience, intelligence and a commitment to improving the quality of educational outcomes in the Plainfield district.

They are the only candidates with an online presence. You can view their website (here) and individual profiles (Barksdale) (Hollis) (Ruffin) (Westbrook).

Christian Estevez, a current Board of Ed member, has also endorsed 'Team 1463' on his blog, which you can read here.

PEPtalk, the blog for parental involvement in the schools, has posted responses by all ten candidates to their questionnaire, which you can read here (the first nine are in the March archive, the 10th was posted April 2).

Additionally, you can read the candidates' responses to the Courier News online here.

Voters will also get to signify their approval or disapproval of the school levy to be raised from Plainfield ratepayers, which this year will amount to $19,862,563.

The total school budget, which includes state and federal aid, is $153,800,000 -- a sum that is orders of magnitude beyond the budget for City government.

Do your civic duty tomorrow and vote for school board candidates and on the budget question.

Polls are open from 2:00 - 9:00 PM.



-- Dan Damon

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