New Jersey School Boards Association, 413 West State Street, P.O. Box 909, Trenton, NJ  08605-0909
Telephone: (609) 278-5202  ●  Fax: (609) 695-0413  ●  Web site: www.njsba.org/PI 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:   Frank Belluscio (fbelluscio@njsba.org)
Mike Yaple (myaple@njsba.org)
(609) 278-5202

Voters in three districts approve construction plans

TRENTON, April 22, 2004—Voters approved school construction proposals in three of the seven districts that had bond referenda questions on the ballot Tuesday, the New Jersey School Boards Association reported today.

In addition to the proposed school construction bonds in seven districts, voters statewide also filled more than 1,600 local board positions and acted on 550 proposed school operating budgets.

In the three districts with approved bond referendums, voters authorized a total of $5.6 million of the $58.39 million that was proposed in the seven districts. Slightly more than $2.3 million of the approved amount will be funded through grants under New Jersey’s Educational Facilities Construction and Financing Act.  The act, signed in July 2000, provides $8.6 billion in state money for school construction and funds at least 40% of what the state determines are eligible costs for local district projects. Financing that was approved for Tuesday’s ballot is divided between state and local sources as follows:

$5,606,458 — Total approved ($58,398,423 proposed)

$2,313,242 — State grants ($17,291,211 proposed)

$2,507,875 — Locally financed bonds ($40,321,871 proposed)

$785,341 — Other local sources ($785,341 proposed)

 

Special School Elections.  State law limits special school elections to five dates a year: the fourth Tuesday in January, the second Tuesday in March, the last Tuesday in September, the second Tuesday in December, and the Annual School Election on the third Tuesday in April.

To see results of bond referenda since 1997, go to the “Research” section of NJSBA’s news page at www.njsba.org/PI/research

The results of the April 20 bond referendums follow:

               

NEW JERSEY SCHOOL BOND ELECTIONS RESULTS
ANNUAL SCHOOL ELECTION
APRIL 20, 2004

 SOURCE: New Jersey School Boards Association

 

BERGEN COUNTY 
Lodi - Failed
Additions and renovations to the middle and elementary schools; renovate the high school athletic field.

$26,050,000 - total

$5,095,700 - state grant

$20,954,300 - locally financed bonds

South Hackensack - Failed

Construct an addition to the Memorial School.

$2,500,000 - total

$2,500,000 - locally financed bonds

CAPE MAY COUNTY
Upper Township - Passed
Replace roof at primary school.
$524,300 - total
$209,720 - state grants
$64,580 - locally financed bonds
$250,000 - transfer of capital reserve

GLOUCESTER COUNTY
Woodbury - Failed
Renovations to four schools.
$18,810,003 - total 
$8,071,741 - state grants
$10,738,262 - locally financed bonds

 

OCEAN COUNTY

Pinelands Regional - Passed

Renovations to middle and high school.

$1,050,000 - total

$514,659 - state grants

$535,341 - transfer of previously unspent bond proceeds

Tuckerton - Passed

Renovations to the elementary school.

$4,032,158 - total

$1,588,863 - state grants

$2,443,295 - locally financed bonds

SALEM COUNTY

Mannington Township - Failed

Additions and renovations to the elementary school.

$5,431,962 - total

$1,810,528 - state grants

$3,621,434 - locally financed bonds

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The New Jersey School Boards Association is a federation of more than 600 local boards of education.  Established more than 85 years ago, NJSBA represents the education and related health and safety interests of New Jersey's 1.3 million public school students and advocates the positions of the state's local school districts.  The Association also provides inservice training and technical assistance to the state's 4,800 local board of education members.  School board members, who serve without compensation, are the largest group of elected and appointed public officials in the state.

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pi/newsrel/2004/Bond election results - Apr