Voters Approve School Projects in 19 of 25 Districts

Voters Approve School Projects in 19 of 25 Districts

Voters in 19 New Jersey school districts approved more than $166 million in construction in the Sept. 29 school referendums. In all, 25 districts proposed school-construction questions. Energy-saving initiatives were common, as many of the bond questions sought approval for new and more efficient windows, heating systems, or solar panels. Eight of the 25 questions asked for funding to install solar panels; voters approved all eight. Of the $166.6 million in construction that was approved, $67.2 million will be eligible for state aid through one-time school-construction grants, annual “debt service aid” payments to school districts, or rebates through the state’s Clean Energy program. Including Tuesday’s vote, voters this year have approved school-construction proposals in 37 of 51 communities, for a success rate of nearly 73 percent. The average success rate during the previous four years has hovered around 62 percent. Last week’s bond referendums also continued the trend of voters approving projects with smaller dollar amounts. While the approval rate for the number of bond questions has remained relatively strong, the percentage of spending approved has decreased in recent years. So far this year, voters have approved 42 percent of the nearly $800 million in proposed school construction – as compared to the record high of 84 percent of school construction spending that was approved in 2003. Voters last week approved a total of $166,638,544 in school construction proposals in Hamilton Township and Northfield (Atlantic County); Franklin Lakes, Leonia and Park Ridge (Bergen); Hainesport and Shamong townships (Burlington); Stratford (Camden); Ocean City (Cape May); Lawrence Township (Cumberland); Clayton and Pitman (Gloucester); East Brunswick Township (Middlesex); Marlboro Township and Atlantic Highlands (Monmouth); Manchester Township (Ocean); Woodland Park (Passaic); Pittsgrove Township (Salem); and Rahway (Union). School construction proposals were rejected in Mount Holly and Riverside townships (Burlington); Pennsauken (Camden); South Plainfield (Middlesex); Brick Township (Ocean); and Washington Borough (Warren). School boards may hold special elections on five specific dates a year. The next date on which a school board may schedule a bond referendum is Dec. 8.

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