Platform

Accountability

The School Board is determined by the residents of East Rutherford, not vice-versa. This has been lost in recent years, as the Board has become an ivory tower that is not accountable. This leads to a lack of feedback, which needs to return. In his brief time on the School Board, Antonio has helped bring back Public Working Sessions, so that residents have two opportunities to attend meetings. This also allows for residents to know what the Board is planning on implementing over a week before the official Board meeting.

He’s led a charge to have the School Board present to town organizations, such as East Rutherford Seniors, and have the School Board present at town events. Rather than requiring residents to come to meetings, Antonio has pushed for the Board to come to the residents. By being accountable, we can ensure that the Board best represents the town.

Community

By building a community-first School District, we can represent the needs of all of our students. Children of working-class parents, Antonio knows that it isn’t right to constantly raise the tax burden on families just because the School Board can. In his first year on the Board, the Board reached an agreement with the Teacher’s Union to keep their salary levels below the county average, bringing salaries more in line with neighboring towns despite record-level inflation.

He’s also pushed for and established a Facilities Use plan, so that the Board can rent out empty space during non-school hours. This allows for additional revenue streams that can reduce the burden on residents without cutting necessary programs for the students.

Transparency

Building proper feedback loops to accept public input means nothing if we are not transparent on our decisions. By livestreaming Board meetings, Antonio has made East Rutherford cutting edge in southern Bergen County. Together, Antonio believes that we can put the needs of the residents first and meet all stakeholders where they are.