Danny Lee: 2025 HIllsborough Board of Education Candidate
Hillsborough’s General Election on November 4, 2025 includes six candidates running for three open seats on the Township Board of Education. Incumbents Joel Davis, Danny Lee and Jean Trujillo are seeking re-election, while Marc Ehrenkrantz, John Fluet and Jannah Hameed are running as challengers.
To provide residents with an opportunity to learn more about each candidate, heyBORO invited all six to participate in a Q&A as part of our Meet Your BOE Candidate series. Three candidates submitted responses, which are presented here in their entirety. All candidates were given the same questions and equal opportunity to respond.
DAnny Lee
Hillsborough township 2025 Board of Education Candidate
SHort BIO
Tell us a little about yourself – your background, connection to Hillsborough and why you’re running.
My name is Danny Lee, and I have been a Hillsborough resident for 5 years. I have a BA from Rutgers (Class of 2002) in Computer Science, and I work in IT. I reside here with my wife Michelle, and 2 children in the district, in 4th grade and 7th grade. We also have 2 dogs and 2 cats.
Property Taxes & Budget
This year’s school budget and tax increase have been a big topic in Hillsborough. How do you think the Board of Education should balance the needs of our schools with the financial concerns of homeowners?
As a board member who voted for the Tax Incentive Aid and a homeowner, I am aware of the balance between adequately funding the district's education system with taxpayer impact. As a taxpayer, I too am affected the increases. It was not a decision taken lightly, and there were reasons to be in favor of this.
The district has faced annual cuts since the start of the state funding formula S-2, passed in 2018. S-2 remains uncertain and more cuts are expected. Accepting this aid safeguards our schools from future reductions.
With additional funding, courtesy busing remains, sports/activity fees suspended, and middle school sports preserved. Importantly, only 1/3 of the additional funding will be used for recurring costs - an intentional step to hedge against potential future state aid cuts.
Priorities for Our Schools
What are your top priorities for Hillsborough schools over the next few years? This could include academics, programs, teachers, facilities or student well-being.
The district's immediate priorities are redistricting and Full Day Kindergarten. Plans aren't finalized, but updates will be shared via Hillsborough Happenings.
Special education follows, with rising enrollment of students with special needs. Recent tax aid will support this effort and strengthen in-district programs. Reducing reliance on costly out-of-district placement will help achieve long-term savings.
Many parents are confused about the direction of the G&T program, formerly REACH. An opt-in structure to the existing program could let kids independently pursue their interests at a deeper level with guided support and boost engagement.
Mental health also remains a key concern. Identifying effective supports for social and emotional learning for students is an ongoing challenge.
Transparency & Community Input
Many residents feel out of the loop on BOE decisions. How would you make sure the community stays informed and involved in important decisions?
The Board Meeting format sometimes appears intransparent. Board Meetings are actually meetings held in public. The lack of formal back and forth Q&A may give the perception of a lack of transparency.
Starting in 2024, we started our Community Engagement Nights for all residents of Hillsborough, to allow for Q&A. The hope is that by having such sessions the community can stay informed and get answers.
Also, as the Tax Incentive Aid has been a big topic, I wanted to point out that at least 2 Community Engagement Night meetings were held that directly addressed this topic. Feedback from the public was given. These meetings were well attended, and a good portion of the audience was in support of keeping our schools sufficiently funded.
Non-Negotiables
What are your “no compromise” priorities for the Board of Education — things you feel strongly about protecting or ensuring happen in Hillsborough schools?
My non-negotiable would be to never take away experiences from students. These are memories that last a lifetime and should be a part of the school experience. Field trip discussion has recently come up. Participation in last year's Hershey Park field trip at HMS has been brought to the attention of the Board. The concern was due to lower attendance than previous years, but reasons were not provided.
I never want to take away experiences. Trips should be accessible to all students.
Immediate Change
If elected, what is one thing you would like to change immediately in the Hillsborough education system?
If there was a magic wand that could make an immediate change, what I would like fixed is the S2 state funding formula. Nothing else could make as large as an impact on the district as starting out in the black as opposed to working from a deficit every single budget year since 2019.
Personal Message
A short message to Hillsborough residents about why you’re running and what you hope to bring to the Board.
Since being elected, the district has successfully reversed program cuts from annual reductions to state aid since 2019. Activity fees for clubs/sports were suspended. Courtesy busing was restored. Additionally, my decisions have avoided cutting middle school sports - twice. Full day kindergarten is slated for Fall 2026. Being one of the few candidates with children in the district, I have a vested interest in advocating for students and ensuring every child receives a well-rounded education.
contact Danny Lee
Website: www.dannyleeforboe.com
Email: dannyleeforboe@gmail.com
