WAYNE NJ – Extending the deadline  for school board candidates to file to run for office is not the solution to lack of candidates in April school board elections, say Joseph Caruso and Anthony Rottino, Republican candidates for the General Assembly from District 40.  The solution is to move the elections to November and eliminate the costly, poorly attended spring elections, they say. Gov. Jon Corzine said yesterday he will issue an executive order extending the deadline for school board candidates to file to run for office after Monday's snowstorm closed many schools. Caruso said that Corzine is just perpetuating a bad system that wastes taxpayer money on elections that, on average, draw fewer than 15 percent of the voters.   “One of the reasons we continue to see great escalation in school costs is because the special interests that benefit the most from taxpayer spending are able to control school budget elections because so few people turn out to vote in April,” said Caruso.“Moving school elections to November would attract more school board candidates and more interest in school issues, as well as a truer reading of the community’s feeling about education spending issues,” he added.  Rottino agreed, saying that if the school budget votes and school board elections were held in November, “more taxpayers would show up at the polls to register their opinions. But, I realize that some legislators don’t want to bring more people into the school election process. They are afraid of making changes because they don’t want to upset the special interests that benefit from the status quo.”    Rottino noted that Assemblymen Scott Rumana and David Russo voted against move school elections to November when the matter came before the legislature last year. Besides increasing voter turnout, November elections would eliminate the need for the state to spend millions on school election operations in April.  “Scott Rumana voted with the union leaders who don’t want change,” said Rottino. “He’s not casting votes for homeowners who have to pay the taxes; he’s protecting his political career.”  Caruso said teachers and education advocates have nothing to fear from moving school elections to November. “I feel confident that no matter if the elections are held in April or November, people will support reasonable amounts of money for education. But anyone would be hard pressed to suggest that there is NOT enough money  already spent on education in New Jersey,” he said.   The following communities comprise District 40: Cedar Grove Township, Franklin Lakes Borough, Little Falls Township, Mahwah Township, Midland Park Borough, Oakland Borough, Ridgewood, Ringwood Borough, Verona Township, Wanaque Borough, Wayne Township, Wyckoff Township Paid for by Caruso, Rottino For Assembly