Results of March 9 Bond
Referendums—Web Extra

Voters in two of the five New Jersey school districts holding referendum questions on Tuesday approved $76.8 million in school construction, according to NJSBA.

Of the total amount approved, $40 million will qualify for state funds, either through one-time school-construction grants, annual “debt service aid” payments to school districts, or rebates through the state’s Clean Energy program. The Educational Facilities Construction and Financing Act of 2000, which provided state funding for school construction, also set the minimum level of state aid for school construction at 40 percent of eligible costs. Before the law, 240 school districts received no state aid for school construction, and another 108 received less than 25 percent.

School boards may hold special elections on five specific dates a year. The next date on which a school board may schedule a referendum question is the Annual School Election on April 20.

Statewide, the total amount approved was $76,856,887 (out of $128,846,437 requested). The amount eligible for state reimbursement is $44,065,694.

Voters approved projects in Lumberton and Willingboro townships in Burlington County. They rejected proposals in Springfield Township (Burlington County); Bloomfield (Essex County); and Robbinsville Township (Mercer County).

NJSBA is the only statewide organization that tracks the success of all school bond referendums in the state. A list of results of all referendums since 1998 can be found on NJSBA’s Research page.

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