I was born and raised in New Jersey. I lived there for 41 years. For as far back as I remember, there was not a day that went by where someone did not complain about the high taxes, unions, alleged corruption, and the unrelenting burden of trying to survive in the state. It is just extremely expensive to live in NJ and the density of people residing and working within makes the quality of life in the state all the more unbearable.
By the statistics I should never have accomplished anything substantial. Kids growing up poor, within a single parent family, in the urban cities of New Jersey typically don’t fare too well. Those who do overcome, however, are a special breed of people: determined, resilient, strong-willed, unwilling to take “No” for an answer.
I credit my success to hard work and having good people in my life to help me along the way, teaching me that giving back is important and showing me how the system really works. With their guidance I was determined to use my life to make a difference. I indeed tried to do just that but if you read the Internet search results, they frame me as a kook and a failure. You need to understand this though… The reason they came at me so hard and spun tales out of context is because I was on the cusp of accomplishing what I had set out to do. And they couldn’t let that happen.
So what did I almost accomplish? With the credentials and experience as a public school educator, as well as with the elected authority of being mayor, I attempted to take on the biggest tax expense that New Jerseyans complain about: the NJ school system and it’s 500+ local districts. I tried, with the help of a few other brave people, to reduce taxes by creating a county-wide consolidated school district in Sussex County, NJ.
Progress was definitely being made towards that goal; the media was picking up on the topic, and other elected officials started advocating for the idea alongside me. The logic, numbers, and arguments made complete sense and could not be refuted. The public was also starting to understand how and why their tax dollars were being wasted and how consolidating local schools into county schools could save them money. Unfortunately, when you can’t debate the message, you go after the messenger.
The details of everything that took place to attack my character are way too vast and the story is way too long, but if you are somewhat knowledgeable and experienced in worldly matters and know how politics work, you can only imagine the countless detractors, the push-back, lies, threats, back alley intimidation, harassment, the calls to my employers and associates, and the numerous other nefarious tactics to thwart even the slightest possibility of exploring change. Despite best efforts to serve the people and fix a broken system, counter-efforts to derail, defame, and discredit me in order to protect the billion dollar system and it’s extensions succeeded.
It was ambitious endeavor and I knew it was going to be difficult, but I would have had it no other way. I did not cower or trade my integrity to keep a title and a livelihood. I was in the arena and at least attempted to change things. Up to that point, no one had even made a serious attempt to tackle what I sought to do. After what took place, no one may ever try again. Perhaps that was the point: to deter any other future attempts.
I have no regrets and am extremely proud of what I sought out to accomplish. While media and Internet searches will frame me as they wish, I know the people I previously represented understand exactly what happened and will remember me as a strong, honest, leader who actually tried to get things done. I leave you with all the buried links documenting the details of my attempt to consolidate NJ public schools and make the State of New Jersey a more cost effective place to live.
Wayne Levante
Links to News Articles that the Internet has buried:
1) Worth Taking a Look at School Consolidation
2) Newton mayor proposes consolidating schools
3) Could Sussex County Merge Into One School District
4) How long a school bus ride would you make your kid take to save on property taxes
5) https://www.njedreport.com/2017/09/01/anyone-have-some-dragonglass/
6) Newton Mayor Asks Sparta Council to Support County School Consolidation Initiative
7) Newton board files legal action against state for school funding
8) Sussex Borough Council supports school consolidation
9) Embattled Newton mayor says he was pressured out of Newark teaching job
10) Why this N.J. county thinks it needs just 1 school district – nj.com
11) County-wide school district proposal meets first wave of challenges