SCHOOL BOARD RACE - FOLLOW THE MONEY

With less than a week to go until the April 17 school board election, things are heating up in the race that pits six candidates against each other for three seats, with only two incumbents.



With the increased appearance of campaign signs and literature, it appears this election will rival some of the costliest in SOM history. Early campaign filings indicate little money spent in the first months, with the most recent available documents filed on March 22.


Although the latest campaign disclosures were filed April 9, they are not yet available. 


But a look at earlier filings indicates the Payne-Parrish, Swanson and Higer team raised amounts under the legal thresh hold for reporting, filing statements that reported no specific in as of March 22.


State law requires only reporting donations that exceed $300 from each individual and total contributions that exceed $4,000 for a single candidate and $7,200 for a two-person committee


The Pai, Eastman and Bennett team revealed $3,650 in contributions, including $500 from former School Board President Mark Gleason, and a $500 self-contribution from Bennett himself.



We came across the team of Jennifer Payne-Parrish, Amy Higer and Karen Swanson outside Tuscan School this morning pushing door hangers on passing parents.


They apparently did not target any children with the glossy paraphernalia.


PATCH, meanwhile, published an Op-Ed from South Orange trustee Michael Goldberg supporting rivals Madhu Pai, Wayne Eastman and Jeff Bennett.