As someone who manages a $400 million budget, I can appreciate the complexity of managing multi-million dollar budgets. With a tight budget comes difficult decisions, especially when it affects the education of students. The school’s budget can be very complicated and challenging. One responsibility of the Cedar Springs Board of Education is to review the budget and ensure it is in order, while following the districts’ goals.

A BOE member also needs to be aware of the State’s educational budget and how it affects the districts students. That requires attending legislative meetings and advocating for public education with the local, state and federal government. It requires asking difficult questions and being persistent to get results and in the end, doing the right thing for the greater good.

For this CSPS Board of Education election, voters should take both of these into account when selecting which candidates they are voting for. I strongly believe Heidi Reed and Joseph Marckini both exemplify the ability to do both without a personal agenda. Heidi Reed has years of experience overseeing budgets and business acumen on the government level. Joe Marckini has years of experience advocating for the children of CSPS on multiple levels of the government. Both are financially focused for the kids of this district and want ensure the school’s money is used to benefit all learning styles of CSPS.

As a CS Red Hawk, I encourage you to please vote on November 8, for Heidi Reed and Joe Marckini. They both put kids first.

Michele Tracy, Palmyra, Pennsylvania

Formerly of Cedar Springs