Meet Marple Newtown School Board Candidate: Jim Lanzalotto

Name: Jim Lanzalotto

Municipality: Newtown Square

Party: Republican

Running For (include district/ward if applicable): Marple Newtown School Board

Positions Held Previously/Years in Office: Member of school board since 2011

What are the larger issues facing the district and how would you like to see them resolved? 

The Marple Newtown School District has two significant issues today and neither is more important than the other.

One is the absurdly fast-rising cost of delivering education to our community. The 2014-2015 budget will likely be at least 25 percent higher than the 2009-2010 budget—an increase that’s primarily driven by the cost of health care and pensions. For example, in this current budget, we are facing double-digit increases in both areas and we expect significantly increased costs for 2014-2015. Those multi-million dollar expense increases must be funded and can be achieved only through stringent cost containment and improved revenue management. 

The other is ensuring that our students receive a high-quality education that exceeds local, state and federal testing standards and is considered by the community and other key stakeholders to be a place families want to live so their children can be prepared for the next phase of their life.

How would you create a balance between spending taxpayer dollars and quality education? 

As a school district, we need to make appropriate investments in programs, student and parent experience and infrastructure that will benefit the entire community for the long-term, not just for individual budget cycles. As a result, given the limited amount of discretionary dollars available, it’s critical that those investments focus on high-impact results that will make a difference in the district. It’s a tough balance, but if we plan for our spending and investments and take a long, hard look at where and how we are spending money, the overall community will significantly benefit from the process and the programs that we implement.

How can you improve school district and board transparency with residents? 

Our community needs to trust that the school board is making the best, most balanced decisions possible. That process begins by involving the community in the development of a strategic plan for the school district and continues with the board updating the community with the progress and development of that strategic plan. That involvement and continuous communication—that allows for feedback—will allow the board and community to build a highly transparent relationship.

For this budget cycle, for example, the board will be launching a dedicated section of the school district website to the 2014-2015 budget recommendations. This content, which is in the final stages of development, will provide a significant amount of information for the community so all citizens will receive an unvarnished perspective of the issues facing the board in the development of the financial plans for the district.

Why should residents give you their vote? 

I am running for a seat on the Marple Newtown Board of Education because I believe in our towns and our schools and I am committed to serve our community. My wife and I have lived in Newtown Square for 15 years since moving from Marple, where we resided for six years. Our three children attend schools in the district; we are raising our kids here because of the quality-of-life, schools and the friendships we have made over the years.

I have—and will—provide significant value to the community through my interest in the long-term success of our kids, district, my engagement in the process and the independent perspective I bring to the board.