Meet School Board Candidate Ralph Puerta

Ralph Puerta

Age: 64 

Family: wife Jacqueline, and sons Douglas and Craig, both SV graduates. 

Political party affiliation: Cross-filed. 

Tell us about your educational background: 

• K-12 public education at Springfield Twp SD, Montgomery Co, Pa. 
• BS Materials Science and Engineering
• MBA
• EdD Education Finance, all Lehigh University

Tell us about your professional/business background: 

• Development Engineer at GTE Sylvania and Air Products, 1970-1981. 
• Business owner since 1981, Pennsylvania Metallurgical Inc, Bethlehem, Pa. 

Why are you running for school board? 

Our community has not always been well served by SVSD financial decisions. In the past, the facts have not been adequately presented or explained.  Taxes increased 8% per year for ten years. 

Eight years ago I pledged to bring business discipline and open discussion to SVSD academic and financial issues.  We have made great progress in written communication of board issues and in open discussion in our meetings.  There has been no tax increase for 5 years. 

What qualifies you to serve on the board?

I believe in public education and in fact-based decision making.

I am willing to research the facts and listen to others.

The fiscal and academic results for last eight years lend support to that approach.

What do you see as the board's primary role and responsibilities?

Success is defined by the quality of our graduates.  This must be achieved within the financial capacity of our community.  A school district that spends more than it taxes will soon fail.  But a district that taxes more than the community can afford will also fail, regardless of our objectives.

Our academic structure (class size and academic support) is good.  We compare very favorably to other school districts.  We have reduced non-instructional expense over the last eight years.  We can all ask for smaller class size, or more support personnel, or greater class subject options, but all of these must be justified by benefits versus increasing taxes or reducing other programs.

What's your position on outsourcing school bus drivers' jobs?

I do not believe any board member has a position on this.  We do not have the facts yet.

SV teachers went on strike in 2005, 2008 and 2009, and they are currently working without a contract. Do you support the pay freeze teachers have been asked to accept, along with other district employees? What do you think must happen to avert another strike?

The first statement is technically incorrect. The teachers are in fact working under all the terms of the 2008-2012 contract. This is important. The majority of the contract is devoted to scores of issues other than salary, all of which are in effect in the current wage freeze year.

Every other group in the school district accepted the wage freeze upon request. The teachers chose to maintain this as a bargaining issue in the current negotiations, as is their right to do.

Negotiations have been progressing for the entire 2012-2013 school year.  Our differences, although significant, have been negotiated professionally.

Tell us about any other major challenges facing the school district and how you would address them. (Please be as specific as possible):

Let's start with the positives.  We have an excellent administration and school district staff.  We have good board-administration working relations.  We have good student academic results.  We have kept taxes flat for five years, maintained our staff members, maintained our facilities, and put $10 million in the bank for protection against unforeseen problems.

One of those challenges is actually foreseen, and originating at the state level. Our local assessment for the state PSERS retirement fund is increasing from $1.5 million per year to $5 million per year.  There is no guarantee that the state has the capacity to handle this problem.  When that happens, there is only one funding source, and that is the individual local taxpayer.

Under this board’s guidance, we have saved SVSD funds in the bank to help us get through this.  I believe all of this is testament that our board management for the past eight years has been effective.

How much are you spending to run? How is your campaign being funded?

The campaign is funded by donations.  I personally have spent my $250 limit

What, if any, endorsements have you received?

It was a split vote in my family caucus.

Do you use social media? If so, please provide links to your Facebook and Twitter.

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