Hillsborough Board Of Education General Election 2025: Marc Ehrenkrantz

HILLSBOROUGH, NJ — Hillsborough's general election on Nov. 4 has six candidates running for three open seats on the Township Board of Education.

Board members Jean Trujillo, Joel Davis, and Danny Lee are all running for re-election to the board.

The candidate field includes three challengers: John Fluet, N. Jannah Hameed, and Marc Ehrenkrantz.

Are you running for office in Hillsborough? Contact Alexis Tarrazi at alexis.tarrazi@patch.com for information on being featured in a candidate's profile and submitting campaign announcements to Bridgewater Patch.

Marc Ehrenkrantz

Age: N/A

Town of residence: Hillsborough

Position sought: School Board

Family: Wife Susan and Jack, our Lhasa Apso. Kids are out of the house.

Education: Graduated Rutgers University, History / Computer Science

Occupation: Web application developer in the telecommunications industry

Previous or current elected appointed office: First time seeking office

Campaign website: linkedin.com/in/marc-ehrenkrantz

Why are you seeking election for the Hillsborough Township Board of Education?

The recent increase in the school tax assessment is an abrupt shock to every family. The harm done to young families and people on fixed incomes is unsupportable. The impact extends beyond the taxpayer. My $1,500 additional assessment is money that will not find its way to local retailers this holiday season.

Reading and math achievement are paramount to our children’s success. These scores need improvement.

Recent school trips are increasingly out of reach for students. Thirty percent of students are now left behind, mostly due to the expense.

School finances have been continuously discussed in the district. The district recently took advantage of the state's tax Incentive Aid program which increases the tax levy. What did you think of this decision?

I would have voted AGAINST this increase, not just because of the ungodly increase demanded but because the citizens were not asked. The district bullied its way to the head of the line and left the rest of us to figure how we would make ends meet. This was wrong.

Do you have any comments or suggestions on how the district could handle its budget?

We need alternatives. Using the old budget as the starting point invites budget creep. It should be scrapped and recreated from scratch. The new budget should not exceed the old budget, excepting required improvements such as full day kindergarten.

By increasing our taxes by $20 million the district qualified for an additional million dollars in aid from the State. Well played Hillsborough! As a result, we are now well overfunded this year and next. Now that the township has leveraged our money, let them return the bulk of the money to us via future tax breaks

At a recent Board meeting the Superintendent stated that we have sufficient funds to go yet another year without a tax levy increase. There is talk of escrowing that ‘surplus’ money against future needs. I am staunchly opposed to the district escrowing our money. The district is not our bank or mortgage company, and an unattended honey pot is a temptation for additional spending which of course would only compound future budget woes. In two years, the current NJ State funding scheme could change radically, hopefully for the better. We can revisit funding requirements and options at that time. Until then I’ll vote to keep our money in our pockets. No additional tax. Taxpayers and families need a break.

If there is a big and pressing need, like a new high school, then let the township vote on a bond.

The district is preparing to move forward with redistricting of students due to rising student enrollment. What do you think about this?

Redistricting is coming. Until more permeant solutions can be brought online it is a necessary optimization of classroom availability, class size and transportation expense on the district side, and parent/student concerns like multiple drop offs and siblings being split up. Children
attending different schools also breaks up neighborhoods. The Board has reviewed multiple options, all with advantages and warts – but at Board meetings it is evident that all voiced concerns are weighed. There is no solution that reconciles everyone’s legitimate concerns. We look to a more solid proposal from the Board in the near term and parents should attend Board meetings to monitor progress and give input. The next Board meeting is October 13 th , 7:30 at the Auten School. Meanwhile people should subscribe to the District Newsletter, “Hillsborough Happenings’, to keep abreast.

What other issues do you feel need to be tackled in the school district?

Most of the Patch discussions address taxes, budgets, full day kindergarten and redistricting – the nuts and bolts. This must not distract from student advancement and wellbeing.

Nothing better prepares our children for success than reading, math and critical thinking skills. Our performance scores could be much better. A simple idea would be to meet with school boards and curriculum directors at districts that over-perform our own, to uncover any tweaks that we might easily emulate. I would support such initiates that advance those goals.

School trips exclude more students every year. This is an ongoing and worsening trend. Currently thirty percent of students are left behind, primarily because of cost. Seems obvious but overnight trips add tremendous expense and must be curtailed in favor of nearer venues. Trip planning and fund raising require months of advanced planning so trip criteria must be decided soon. Student expectations are also best managed early on. Perhaps not the biggest concern but if addressed without delay, fewer disappointed kids will sit abandoned in a study hall while their friends share a grand adventure.

Finally, we must recognize that there will be operational constraints ahead and we must not shrink from making hard choices when necessary. We are a school, not an employment agency. Kids first.

What sets you apart from the challenging candidates?

I will be an active Board member, initiating conversations with teachers, parents and administrators in every school and at every grade level. I will encourage consults with districts that outperform our own. Collaboration with all stakeholders is the key to creating a successful school community in Hillsborough.

Is there anything else you would like to share about yourself or your campaign?

I am an IT professional with many years collecting and evaluating key performance indicators for a major telecommunications company. This required close collaboration with many talented engineers and directors nationally.

My resume may be viewed at my Linkedin page: linkedin.com/in/marc-ehrenkrantz-b3440544

Sign up for the District Newsletter here: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeolC1RFwKZ2-oukGmfv8hw_wYKWMSfKYevIi19xiyPluitnA/viewform

October 1st newsletter: hillsboroughtownshipschoolsnj.edurooms.com/engage/hillsborough-happenings/newsletters/hillsborough-happenings-october-1-2025