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CONTACT:        Frank Belluscio (fbelluscio@njsba.org)                                                     FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
                        Mike Yaple (myaple@njsba.org)
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Voters Reject School Construction Proposal

Trenton, March 14, 2007 - Voters in the Bridgewater-Raritan Regional School District on Tuesday rejected a school-construction referendum. It was the only school-construction question on the ballot this month, the New Jersey School Boards Association reported today.

Voters in the district rejected two ballot questions totaling $17.4 million to renovate and expand schools throughout the district.

In a non-construction question, voters in the Central Regional School District rejected a question asking to dissolve the regional school district. The five communities that make up the seventh- through 12th-grade district include Berkeley Township, Seaside Heights, Seaside Park, Island Heights and Ocean Gate. Passage of the question required approval from voters in at least three of the five towns, as well as the majority of the cumulative number of people who voted throughout the regional district. Even though voters supported the plan in three of the five townsSeaside Heights, Seaside Park and Island Heightsthe question failed because it was rejected by a majority of voters in the regional district.

A law that went into effect in late 2001 limits special school elections to five specific dates a year. Tuesday was the first time since the law was passed that there has been only one school-construction proposal in the state. The remaining dates for special school election questions this year include the Annual School Election on April 17, Sept. 25 and Dec. 11.

The questions on Tuesdays ballot included:

Bridgewater-Raritan Regional—Rejected (both proposals)
Proposal 1:
Additions and renovations to the high school; renovations for the middle school, the intermediate school and eight elementary schools; and security upgrades at all schools.
Total amount $15,266,917
Amount covered by state debt service $2,979,975

Proposal 2 (contingent on passage of Proposal 1):
Addition of a team room to the high school gymnasium, and other renovations for storage and lockers; create two new physical education/practice fields.
Total amount $2,133,888
Amount covered by state debt service $130,560

Central Regional—Rejected
Dissolution of the Central Regional School District, resulting in each constituent district having the responsibility of providing a K-12 education for children in the community.

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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.