How To Buy a School Board 3000 Miles Away
Why would California multi-millionaires be interested in a school board race in the small city of Perth Amboy, NJ?
It seems absurd, and yet it's true: four wealthy Californians and one wealthy Coloradan - heavy hitters in the tech, financial, and health care sectors - have contributed tens of thousands of dollars to a slate of candidates running for the school board in Perth Amboy, a city of 50,000 with a majority Hispanic population.
According to New Jersey election records, the slate of candidates calling themselves "Better Schools Now!" has collected $64,700, mostly from sources outside of Perth Amboy. In contrast, an opposing slate, "New Vision, New Voice" has collected $7,005, with all of its donations over $300 coming from within the city.
Why would such a large amount of money come into Perth Amboy from out of state to influence the outcome of a local school board election? Regular readers of this blog will know the backstory, but let me recap quickly:
In 2011, the Perth Amboy school board hired Janine Caffrey as its new superintendent. Caffrey almost
It seems absurd, and yet it's true: four wealthy Californians and one wealthy Coloradan - heavy hitters in the tech, financial, and health care sectors - have contributed tens of thousands of dollars to a slate of candidates running for the school board in Perth Amboy, a city of 50,000 with a majority Hispanic population.
According to New Jersey election records, the slate of candidates calling themselves "Better Schools Now!" has collected $64,700, mostly from sources outside of Perth Amboy. In contrast, an opposing slate, "New Vision, New Voice" has collected $7,005, with all of its donations over $300 coming from within the city.
Why would such a large amount of money come into Perth Amboy from out of state to influence the outcome of a local school board election? Regular readers of this blog will know the backstory, but let me recap quickly:
In 2011, the Perth Amboy school board hired Janine Caffrey as its new superintendent. Caffrey almost