Matthew Behne’s Response to BOE Candidate Question 2: Budget Priorities

Oct 4, 2024

Mr. Behne’s Response to the Second in a Series of Questions to the 2024 BOE Candidates

Thank you very much for the questions.

Touching on the beginning statement; I wonder if a 4-4 split is a majority. From what I understand, the board had tremendous problems overcoming the old majority’s resistance by demanding a certain individual sit as board president before she stepped down. Consequently, there was never really a true majority.

As far as managing budgets, for decades, I, like those paying attention, have observed federal & state entities throwing taxpayer dollars at a broad range of problems because of perceived needs, emphasized only because individuals with influence deemed it so – sometimes with no evidence or data other than passionate opinions with a skewed study or two.

From my time at Fairchild Air Force Base’s Budget Office, I noticed that, after higher headquarters funding, a funneling effect trickled down to particular squadrons & units. Operators/implementers tasked to make it fit could only utilize that funding for its selected purpose – Civil Engineering. Base Housing. Communications. Etc

In the civilian sector, implementers, instead of attentively addressing mission-critical priorities, appear to invest in peripheral activities based on world views and ideologies. Without assigning priorities to dollars, it becomes: “Here! Figure it out, guys. Make it work or make us look good. We have to use all the money, or else we won’t get more next year.”

With the military everything is closely monitored and scrutinized. But at a BOE, for instance, without similar categorization from the original sources, fraud, waste, and abuse can occur – the intent of “mean well funding” is lost. Such is the appearance with a 64 million dollar budget, up from 40 million only a short time ago. How is that increase justified with reduced enrollment?

Such spending patterns need to cease. Our governments have gotten us into over 35 trillion dollars of debt.

The children of this community deserve a safe environment to thrive in their social and academic lives. Expanding budgets in the face of declining enrollments and declining academic achievement are a strong indicator that our spending decisions are unhinged and have little to do with the best interests of our children.

The residents of Berkeley Heights depend upon the board to manage their money wisely, especially since 60% of their tax dollars go to the BOE. I was shocked to learn that everyone I have spoken with did not know that ratio.

Achieving the best outcome for children means moving away from ideologically based decision-making that seeks to advance pet projects and reward local special interests.

Safety (using the example in the question) is essential but should not be based on “fear funding.” Children of this community should have the same seamless, safe education I did when I attended this school system from 79 to 86.

Somebody needs to ask, after combing through budgets:
“Do we need this?”
“Does this solve an actual problem?”
“Does this create more issues?”
“Does this connect to our core mission of providing a quality education?”
“Who does this benefit?”

Items such as card readers and more police, on top of what we already have, is wasteful in my opinion, considering we need to cut back, and could negatively impact students. Funding should support academics or extracurricular activities.