DON CARDINALE
Budget Advisory Candidate
Newfields
Who can vote for Don?
Voters in all six towns: Brentwood, East Kingston, Exeter, Kensington, Newfields and Stratham who want a fresh perspective, new voice and a pathway to change.
DON CARDINALE
Tell us about yourself.
I moved to Newfields in 2017 with my wife Erika and our son Dylan (2). We moved here because we wanted to live near the ocean and had heard the school system was excellent. My wife is an Occupational Therapist who currently works with developmentally disabled children utilizing horses. It's called HIPPO Therapy.
I currently work as an Emergency and Trauma RN in the Emergency Department at Portsmouth Regional Hospital, as well as a Perioperative RN for Portsmouth Ambulatory Surgery Center. I graduated from Plymouth State Nursing School in 2010, after a career change. I love what I do and being able to help others is rewarding to me.
Before my healthcare career I was a commodities broker at Seaboard International Trading Group and Eastern Forest Products. I graduated from Norwich University in Vermont and grew up in Nashua. I love NH.
What are your key reasons for running as a candidate for budget advisory committee this year?
I believe that students and teachers must come first. There needs to be a focus on academics above all else, and that hasn't been the case in the most recent years. Administrative pay raises do not contribute to how children learn, and we need to invest in our teachers and students. Additionally, the budget needs to be fiscally responsible for the taxpayers. The allocation of money must ensure the most positive academic outcomes for the student.
The School District Budget is always heavily discussed and debated. What changes are necessary to the budget and the budget process if any?
The budget must be achievable with smaller surpluses. The budget needs to be reduced substantially and any excess funds at the end of the year must returned to the taxpayer, not spent by the school board on projects the taxpayers do not need or want. Monies spent need to be focused on academics and teachers.
If elected, how will you ensure accountability and transparency in the budgeting process?
By testing budget numbers, digging deeply into the numbers and being an independent auditor of the budget.
What particular experiences or skills do you have that makes you the most qualified candidate?
I’ve worked in an industry where administrators and executives consistently spend more on individual priorities while the people on the ground suffer. I want to make sure our teachers and paraprofessionals are fairly compensated. I want to ensure that we are paying fair market wages to attract substitute teachers. I believe my background in business and healthcare, coupled with my investment into our schools and community, would be beneficial to this committee. I humbly ask for your vote on March 8.
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