Before a 1995 voter referendum decided Calvert County would have an elected, rather than appointed school board, several proponents of the former affirmed that letting the voters decide in a nonpartisan election would assure public education wouldn’t become a political issue.
Analyzing the funding sources for the campaigns of two candidates vying for the school board seat in District 3 seems to debunk the 1995 assertion.
Following May’s primary election, Melissa Goshorn and Jeanette Flaim emerged as the finalists in the only board of education contest on the primary ballot. Voters, regardless of affiliation, were allowed to participate in the school board balloting.
According to information on file with the Maryland Campaign Reporting System, the latest contributions and expenditures reports, which were due May 3, show Goshorn with over $20,000 in contributions.
Contributors to Goshorn’s campaign include three incumbent county commissioners — Earl F. “Buddy” Hance, Catherine M. Grasso and Todd Ireland — all Republicans. Additionally, former commissioners Christopher Gadway and Pat Nutter, also Republicans, have sent contributions.
Among the larger contributions made to Goshorn’s campaign, which state records show began last August, Elliott Ross Contracting LLC of Port Tobacco gave $2,000 and $1,000 contributions were given by the Calvert County Republican Central Committee, the central committee’s treasurer Donna Zupancic, Frank Battaglino of Owings, Donald Smolinsky of St. Leonard and Stueckler Enterprises of North Beach.
Flaim’s campaign, which the state reporting system shows began in early January, has received over $14,700 in contributions. The biggest contributors to Flaim’s campaign are from Friends of Jeanette Flaim treasurer Helenmary Ball ($2,000) and Mary Anne Harms of Lusby ($2,000). Congressman David Trone (D-Md., 6th), who ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate in the Democratic primary, gave Flaim’s campaign $1,000. Another $1,000 contribution came from Barbara Ferrenz of Millsboro, Del.
Three former school board members — Pamela Cousins, Tracy McGuire and Rose Crunkleton — have given monetary support to Flaim’s campaign, as has incumbent member Dawn Balinski.
Flaim is the former chair of the Calvert County Democratic Central Committee.
Much of the candidates’ expenditures have gone to purchasing yard signs, according to the campaign reporting system’s website.
The same site shows funds raised by school board candidates in the other two election districts has been very modest.
Records show in January the treasurer for Citizens for Antoine White signed an affidavit of limited contributions and expenditures, which affirms the committee does “not intend to receive contributions or make expenditures in the cumulative amount of $1,000 or more.”
White, the current school board president, is seeking re-election to the second district seat.
Paul Harrison, White’s opponent in the November general election, has received just over $3,000 in contributions, with Smolinski topping the list with $1,000. Ireland and Nutter have also made contributions to Harrison’s effort.
In the first district, candidate Mike Shisler received a $1,000 contribution from Trone, while Gadway and Nutter have given money to his opponent, Joseph Marchio.
In Maryland, candidates advancing to the general election are required to submit two “pre-general” finance reports — in late August and lat October.
For the 2024 general election, early voting will be available from Oct. 24 to 31 while Election Day is Nov. 5 with voting from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
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