NEWS RELEASE
CONTACT: Frank Belluscio (fbelluscio@njsba.org) FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Mike Yaple (myaple@njsba.org)
(609) 278-5202
Voters Approve $158.4 Million in School Construction
Trenton, December 12, 2007 - Voters approved school construction proposals in eight of the 14 school districts with referendum questions on the ballot Tuesday, the New Jersey School Boards Association reported today.
Out of the total $158.4 million in school construction that voters approved Tuesday, more than $43.4 million will qualify for state aid. The state's share of school-construction costs is reimbursed through annual payments of debt service aid, which the state funds through its annual budget.
Overall voters in 2007approved 31 of 49 school-construction proposals for a total of $354.2 million. Dec. 11 was the last date this year on which school boards could schedule referendum questions. The next date that a school board can schedule a referendum question is March 11.
In addition to Tuesday's 14 school construction proposals, voters in Great Meadows Regional School District, Warren County, rejected a proposal to change the district’s method of apportionment, which calculates each community's cost of the school system. Currently, each community's share is based entirely on student enrollment. The ballot question would have phased in over five years an apportionment system based half on pupil enrollment and half on equalized property valuation.
A 10-year overview of school construction referendums, as well as results of Tuesday's school construction proposals, are below.
New Jersey School Boards Association
Annual Bond Referenda Survey
Ten-Year Overview: 1998 - 2007
| |
2007 |
2006 |
2005 |
2004 |
2003 |
2002 |
2001 |
2000 |
1999 |
1998 |
1997 |
# of
Elections |
49 |
52 |
89 |
71 |
93 |
102 |
67 |
89 |
89 |
75 |
74 |
# of
Proposals Approved |
31 |
31.5* |
52.5* |
48 |
73 |
72 |
50.17* |
68.66 |
63.5* |
45 |
39 |
% of
Proposals Approved |
63.3% |
60.6% |
58.9% |
67.6% |
78.5% |
70.5% |
74.9% |
77.2% |
71.3% |
60% |
52.7% |
Total
Spending Proposed |
$762.398 million |
$910 million |
$1.858 billion |
$1.58 billion |
$1.69 billion |
$2.012 billion |
$1.274 billion |
$1.298 billion |
$1.199 billion |
$893.919 million |
$867.91 million |
Total
Spending Approved |
$354.218 million |
$390.65 million |
$1.083 billion |
$1.039 billion |
$1.42 billion |
$1.329 billion |
$970.1 million |
$1.043 billion |
$779.867 million |
$487.215 million |
$473.91 million |
%
Spending Approved |
46.5% |
42.9% |
58.3% |
65.7% |
84% |
66.1% |
76.1 % |
80.4% |
65% |
54.5% |
54.6% |
* Fractions are due to split results in districts where referenda included more than one question.
New Jersey School Referendum Results
December 11, 2007
State total of approved school construction: $158,424,403 ($347,722,201 proposed)
Amount eligible for state facilities grant or state debt service: $43,465,855
ATLANTIC COUNTY
Egg Harbor City - Approved
Construct a new middle school, renovate and expand an elementary school
$26,626,330 – Total cost
$17,755,996 – Amount eligible for state reimbursement
BERGEN COUNTY
Westwood Regional - Approved
Renovations and additions to six schools
$16,672,075 – Total cost
$5,539,297 – Amount eligible for state reimbursement
BURLINGTON COUNTY
Chesterfield
Proposal 1: Construct a new school - Approved
$37,685,024 – Total cost
$6,493,172 – Amount eligible for state reimbursement
Proposal 2 (contingent upon passage of Proposal 1): Enlarge gymnasium in Proposal 1 - Rejected
$1,014,976 – Total cost
CAMDEN COUNTY
Oaklyn - Rejected
Renovations and improvements to the Oaklyn School
$5,951,301 – Total cost
$2,380,520 – Amount eligible for state reimbursement
Voorhees Township - Approved
The completion of improvement projects which includes renovations to five schools
$10,199,428 – Total cost
$3,981,995 – Amount eligible for state reimbursement
ESSEX COUNTY
Caldwell-West Caldwell
Proposal 1: Renovations to seven schools - Approved
$14,765,222 – Total Cost
$5,586,566 – Amount eligible for state reimbursement
Proposal 2 (contingent upon passage of Proposal 1): Install synthetic turf and lighting at high school field - Rejected
$2,443,466 – Total cost
GLOUCESTER COUNTY
Elk Township - Rejected
Renovations and improvements to Aura School
$1,750,578 – Total cost
$863,728 – Amount eligible for state reimbursement
Delsea Regional - Rejected
Renovations and improvements to middle school, high school, and bus garage area
$6,657,975 – Total cost
$4,175,153 – Amount eligible for state reimbursement
Deptford Township - Rejected Both
Proposal 1: Renovations and additions to high school, middle school and six other schools
$69,374,545 – Total cost
$17,586,310 – Amount eligible for state reimbursement
Proposal 2 (contingent upon passage of Proposal 1): Various renovations including air conditioning to specialized instructional areas, stadium lighting, wireless Internet, upgrades to music rooms
$6,177,188 – Total cost
$2,359,155 – Amount eligible for state reimbursement
HUNTERDON COUNTY
Hampton Borough - Approved
Renovations and upgrades to elementary school
$3,368,656 – Total cost
$1,714,009 – Amount eligible for state reimbursement
MERCER COUNTY
Hamilton Township - Rejected
Construct a new upper elementary school; renovations and additions to 24 schools and other district facilities
$80,970,000 – Total cost
$14,836,139 – Amount eligible for state reimbursement
MIDDLESEX COUNTY
Milltown - Approved
Renovations and/or additions to two schools
$7,207,668 – Total cost
$2,394,820 – Amount eligible for state reimbursement
Monroe Township - Approved
Additional funds necessary to construct the new high school approved by voters in December 2003
$41,900,000 – Total cost
OCEAN COUNTY
Toms River Regional - Rejected
Renovations and/or additions to five schools
$14,957,769 – Total cost
$4,407,937 – Amount eligible for state reimbursement
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The New Jersey School Boards Association, a federation of district boards of education, advocates the interests of school districts, trains local school board members, and provides resources for the advancement of public education.
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