10 N.J. districts asking voters to OK $394.9M on Tuesday, including project to fund repairs from Ida – NJ.com

Theres a lot riding on approval of the $21.6 million bond referendum being presented to voters in Cresskill Public School District this week, Superintendent Michael Burke told NJ Advance Media ahead of Tuesdays special election.

The future of Cresskill schools is in the hands of voters now, he said. It really is a chance for us to start to recover from this disaster.

The Cresskill Middle/High School in Bergen County, which houses about a thousand 6th-12th graders, has been hobbled by the disastrous impact of Hurricane Ida since the storm ravaged it that fateful day in September 2021, causing damage equal to half the districts yearly operating budget. As a consequence, middle and high school students have been on a largely remote learning schedule for nearly five months students have one day of in-person learning a week at a shuttered Catholic school in town. In order to move past cleanup, into restoration and finally reopening, Burke said the district needs voter approval to obtain the upfront funding it needs to do the work.

With a successful referendum, Burke said students could be back in the building by September. If its unsuccessful, theyre not likely to return until January 2023 or beyond.

The goal here is for people to realize that for $83 dollars a yearwe can get our students back inside the building in the fall of 2022. Thats whats at stake here on Tuesday night, Burke said.

The stakes are especially high in Cresskill, but nine other school districts across the state also have big decisions to make on significant school construction proposals in special elections this Tuesday. All told, these 10 districts are requesting a total of $394.9 million, according to the New Jersey School Boards Association.

Under the Educational Facilities and Construction and Financing Act of 2000, the state will fund at least 40% of eligible school construction costs through annual debt service aid. If voters reject any of the projects put to a vote this week, school districts will have to wait until the next special election in March before presenting a revised proposal to voters.

Purpose of referendum: The bond would fund renovation of the existing playground at Clinton Public School and related improvements, including making the playground ADA accessible, according to the district website.

Total: $985,000

Tax impact: The Hunterdon County based school district has said there will be no new net tax impact. The estimated new debt service associated with the project will actually result in a slight reduction when compared to the amount of the existing debt service that is being paid-off on current bonds.

Referendum amount: $21,663,200

Purpose of referendum: The district is seeking voter approval to undertake various improvements, alterations, renovations, repairs, and upgrades at Cresskill Middle/High School, including acquisition and installation of fixtures, furniture, equipment and any site work.

Tax impact: The owner of the average assessed house in Cresskill, at $708,860, can anticipate an additional cost of $83 per year.

Referendum amount: $20,916,025

Purpose of referendum: The district is requesting funds to address deferred maintenance items at its four schools. A prioritized list of urgent projects include HVAC system upgrades, boiler replacements, window replacements and roof replacements, according to a presentation on the district website.

Impact: No impact on taxes. The Franklin Lakes Board of Education is able to offset anticipated debt service due to existing debt that will be fully paid off in 2022 and the use of capital reserves.

Purpose of referendum: The Hudson County-based school district will use funds for the construction of a new high school in order to keep pace with a rapidly growing population an 81% increase since 1990 and the resulting student enrollment growth, according to its website.

Total: $241,050,000

Tax impact: Using the average home assessed value of $526,000, the calculated tax increase to the average household for Hoboken is $490.89 or $93.33 per $100,000 of assessed value. If this referendum does pass, it means that property taxes are likely to go up approximately 6%.

Purpose of referendum: The project scope includes a new early childhood center for grades preschool through first grade, as well as the redesign of Lindenwolds high school sports fields.

Total: $33,247,000

Tax impact: The district has said that if the state continues to increase state aid funds to the Lindenwold Public Schools, it will be able to build the new building with no impact to the taxpayer.

Purpose of referendum: The district will finance repairs and improvements at both its middle and high schools, among them: installation of air conditioning in all school buildings, upgrades to existing HVAC systems, and to replacement of the roof at the middle school

Total: $13,900,000

Tax impact: District officials have said there will be no increase in taxes to residents as a result of this project because the district will be strategically using this bond referendum to replace existing debt service set to expire this year.

Purpose of referendum: Officials have said the bond will fund critical capital improvements projects to upgrade its facilities, including boiler replacement, HVAC installations, and more.

Total: $3,950,000

Tax impact: Manville homeowners will have no increase in their property taxes due to the referendum, according to the Somerset County school districts website.

Purpose of referendum: The bond would fund building repairs and renovations, tech-centered instructional spaces, safety and security upgrades, and more in the pre-K through eighth grade district.

Total: $19,903,197

Tax impact: With state aid coming in and old debt rolling off, taxes would actually decrease for the average Mendham Township homeowner by $97 annually, according to the district superintendent.

Purpose of referendum: School officials have said the bond will fund the cost-effective replacement/repair of roofs and equipment, over the next four years, at all six district schools as well as other structural repairs.

Total: $17,451,501

Tax impact: Administration and board members have said this referendum will not result in a tax increase. According to a presentation given last month, net school facility taxes would actually decrease next year, even with new bonds, due to retiring debt from past facilities investments.

Purpose of referendum: School officials are presenting two proposals to voters in this district. The first proposal asks voters to authorize a capital improvement program consisting of improvements in three major areas: improved air quality, improved school security, and improved instructional space. The second proposal, which can only be approved if the first passes, would authorize the district to make renovations to the middle school gymnasium, along with various other improvements.

Total: $21,923,607

Tax impact: For the average home assessed at $241,161, the tax impact would average $11.40 per month for 20 years.

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Jackie Roman may be reached at jroman@njadvancemedia.com.

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10 N.J. districts asking voters to OK $394.9M on Tuesday, including project to fund repairs from Ida - NJ.com