TEANECK, N.J.: With health insurance costs climbing and school transportation and special education putting pressure on the budget, incumbent David Gruber says Teaneck needs experience at the helm, not a learning curve.

Gruber made his case at the Sept. 24 Board of Education candidates forum hosted by the League of Women Voters of Teaneck, arguing that the district must protect classroom instruction while finding ways to slow the growth of its biggest expenses.

A former board member who returned in 2023, Gruber chairs the board’s Finance and Facilities Committee. He said the district’s tax levy rose 2.5% in 2025-26 and 2.99% in 2026-27 as healthcare, transportation and special education costs increased.

“The classroom is protected,” Gruber wrote in his voters guide response, adding that achieving instructional goals remains paramount.

Gruber said the district’s decision to leave the state health plan two years ago helped limit increases. He cited a 17% rise in Teaneck’s insurance costs compared with a 30% increase under the state plan, while warning that the state plan could rise another 34% next year.

He said the district is exploring changes to medical and pharmaceutical benefits, out-of-network usage and reference pricing, subject to negotiations. He also suggested sharing special education transportation costs with other towns and reducing expensive out-of-district placements by offering comparable services locally.

At the forum, Gruber said special education transportation can cost about $30,000 per student. He also highlighted the district’s roughly $18 million annual health insurance bill, warning that even a 17% increase adds millions in expenses.

Air conditioning is another costly challenge. Gruber said the district was awaiting state decisions on subsidies before updating estimates for a possible November 2027 referendum. He described potential project options of $25 million or $50 million.

Gruber also defended the appointment of interim Superintendent Angela Davis, calling her experienced and familiar with the district. In his written answers, he criticized the prolonged COVID-era school closures, arguing that lost classroom time harmed learning opportunities.

A physician with an MBA from Columbia Business School, Gruber said his healthcare background helps him understand the financial challenges facing Teaneck. He is a former board member of Congregation Netivot Shalom.

His message to voters was straightforward: continuity matters when the district faces difficult financial choices and a search for its next superintendent.

“Experience matters,” Gruber said in his closing statement. “It’s the difference between theory and practice.”

Gruber is running on Column B in the Nov. 3 election.