? An Elizabeth Board of Education official is defending his job and his district after the mayor called for the state to run the town?s schools.

Mayor J. Christian Bollwage asked the governor to takeover Elizabeth schools in a letter this week due to ?misuse of funding.? Board of Education President Rafael Fajardo says the mayor is concerned about a plot of land, not students? education. The mayor sent the letter after Fajardo says he exposed a deal in which Bollwage tried to practically give away land to a political donor. Fajardo stands behind his school district and says he welcomes an audit.

The mayor of Elizabeth did not return phone calls for an interview. The New Jersey Department of Education is now reviewing Bollwage?s request.