Tom J. Doland: Answer not Available
Tom J. Doland: Answer not Available
Tom J. Doland: Answer not Available
Tom J. Doland: Answer not Available
Tom J. Doland: Answer not Available
U. Omarh Rajah : 1. Identifying and eliminating unnecessary spending in the Central Office so we can give raises to our teachers and put more money directly into the classroom
2. Developing a cost-effective countywide plan to deal with overcrowding
3. Identifying new ways to use technology to cut costs and increase safety
U. Omarh Rajah : 1. Our Capital Improvement money needs to go where it is needed most--to build new classroom space at overcrowded schools, not build new gyms at schools currently under-capacity. Beyond that, if and when budget conditions dictate that jobs be cut, we need to start by identifying which Central Office positions can be combined or eliminated, before we give any thought to laying off teachers, principals, and other in-school personnel. I also believe we need to go through the Central Office budget line-by-line in order to identify what spending should be eliminated, particularly from bricks-and-mortar.
2. Far too often, overcrowding is dealt with by spot redistricting, one school at a time. Instead of looking at the problem one school at a time, we need to look at the county as a whole, and, instead of starting with redistricting, we need to look at expanding online learning opportunities, developing a Workforce Development Center in order to expand access to vocational education (and attract new businesses to Chesterfield County), and, as I stated earlier, we need to use our Capital Improvement dollars where they are needed most--to build new classroom space at overcrowded schools.
3. One idea currently under discussion is use of GPS technology to plan bus routes, both to save fuel costs and to work with law enforcement to make sure bus stops are not located near the homes of convicted sex offenders.
U. Omarh Rajah : I have served on the School Board for four years. Prior to that, I graduated from Chesterfield County Public Schools and served as a teacher at Manchester High School. I've worked for several years as a Re-Entry Coordinator for the Federal Bureau of Prisons, and I have been active for many years in anti-gang activities (for example, I organized Chesterfield's first Gang Awareness Training Conference). In addition, I am the only School Board candidate in the Matoaca District with children currently in our public schools.
U. Omarh Rajah : I spoke out against a proposed property tax increase in 2009, and I continue to oppose raising taxes. I also am very much against giving local School Boards independent taxing authority, which would create a whole new layer of taxation for our citizens.
U. Omarh Rajah : Yes. For example, I believe one way to increase revenue for our school system without raising taxes is selling advertising space on school buses. I also will work for completion of a Workforce Development Center at the Old Clover Hill High School in order to expand access to vocational education (we currently have to turn away approximately 700 students from VocEd each year due to lack of space) and to attract new businesses to Chesterfield County.
I will also work to develop a countywide plan to deal with overcrowding that focuses not just on redistricting, but on expanding online learning opportunities, and using our Capital Improvement dollars to build new classroom space at overcrowded schools instead of for other purposes.
As I said in a previous question, I will also work for development of a GPS system to plan bus routes, and I will continue looking for unnecessary spending in the Central Office so that we can give raises to our teachers and put more money directly into the classroom.
Campaign Address:
Friends of U. Omarh Rajah
10401 Brightstone Drive
Midlothian, VA 23112
Campaign phone:
(804) 382-1485
Campaign Email:
ptrfos@aol.com
Incumbent?:
Yes
Age:
39
Career:
Chesterfield County School Board-January 2008-Present
Federal Bureau of Prisons--Re-Entry Coordinator-2003-Present
Public School Teacher--2000-2003
Biographical Information
