Interview with Pat Walsh

I have found attack letters from local republicans in the papers recently with many false and misrepresented statements regarding Middletown Democratic Candidate Patricia Walsh. Many of which,stretched the truth so I thought I would check out the latest statements to see if they had any merit. I reached out to the Mrs. Walsh to ask for her to answer my questions based on statements in these letters.

Here are her responses.

Question: Are you responsible for taking 60% of property taxes to operate the schools in Middletown?

Answer: No. Speaking personally, I have to say that the statement is inaccurate for several reasons. First of all, the school budget is presented to voters for their approval every year unlike the township budget. For the last five years suburban school districts like Middletown were flat funded by the state forcing more of a burden on local taxpayers.
The funding formula for school districts in New Jersey was recently revised and voted on the legislature. There are many inequities built into the school funding formula and I have been advocating for changes to it that would benefit the taxpayers of Middletown for the last four years.
I believe the quality of our schools is one of the reasons we are in the Money Magazine’s top one hundred places to live and why many people choose to live in Middletown.

Question: Are you responsible for taking $1.5 billion of our tax dollars and raising taxes 100% during you tenure on the board?

Answer: No. Speaking for myself, I have to say that the school district cannot receive any taxes that are not approved by the voters. In addition, I am one member of a nine person Board of Education and have only one vote. Only with a majority vote of a board, is the budget adopted and then put on the ballot.
I have been re-elected to the Middletown Board of Education four times by the voters of Middletown, and just as the price of gas has increased dramatically in the last 12 years, so has the cost of providing an education to the children of Middletown.
What is interesting with the township budget, is their use of Deferred School Taxes to reduce the town budget, something they have done for approximately 20 years. Most towns shy away from the use of Deferred School Tax. Every year the Township Committee collects taxes at the higher rate for six months in advance and uses those funds as additional revenue, making it appear the Township’s tax rate is lower. At this point the amount of Deferred School Taxes in Middletown is 56 million.


Question: Did you pay two superintendents, six figure salaries for nearly two years?

Answer: The New Jersey State law sets strict requirements with regards to bringing tenure charges against any school employee that must be adhered to. As a board member I am required to abide by the law. The law requires a board of education to pay tenured employee’s salary after 180 days after the filling of tenure charges. The former superintendent was found guilty of those tenure charges.
But I ask you, if you found an employee misappropriating funds, what would you do; ignore it or hold that person accountable?

Question: Did you lobby for the contractor who has defaulted on the High School North Field?

Answer: No. School boards are required by law to approve contracts on the basis of the lowest responsible bidder. A school board can only act on the recommendation of the superintendent that are placed on an agenda of a voting meeting. At no time did I have any contact with or lobby for any contractor. It is prohibited by law and I adhered to the law.

Question: Did you fight to rehire a bus company whose driver supplied drugs to a Middletown student?

Answer: NO. As a board member, I voted to take action against the bus company because of this horrifying incident. I was pleased that an administrative law judge has disqualified this company from bidding on any bus routes for the school district.

Question: Did you make a motion to sign a contract for a cell tower on High School South property against the wishes of parents and the surrounding community?

Answer: Yes, I made the motion as a parliamentary procedure to put that agenda item on the table for discussion and voting. There were no members of the public that argued against the cell tower at that voting meeting.

I want to thank Mrs.Walsh for taking her time to answer my questions honestly and truthfully.

I hope that this will help in set her record straight as it pertains to her many years as a member of the Middletown Board of Education.