Schools

Voters to Decide $10.9 Mil School Referendum

The request will address facilities improvements for Princeton Public Schools.

 

Next month voters will be asked to approve a referendum to approve a $10.9 million bond for facilities improvements for Princeton Public Schools.

Polls will be open Monday, Sept. 24 from noon to 9 p.m.

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Among the projects on the district’s wish list is turning the old John Witherspoon Middle School gym into a media center, energy efficiencies throughout the district, new safety surfaces for the elementary school playgrounds, a generator for the middle school and upgrades to the baseball facilities.

“This is not about any new construction at all,” Superintendent Judy Wilson told Princeton Township Committee on Monday. “This is a relatively small question and it is all about stewardship of assets, sustainability, efficiency and instructional spaces.

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“This will impact every school and every child," Wilson said.

School districts in New Jersey are subject to an annual 2 percent annual budget cap, which school officials say can often limit their ability to fund larger capital maintenance projects.

"We’re very, very sensitive about taxation,” Wilson said. “We're very, very sensitive about the needs of our community members but we also know that these are necessities, these are not issues that we can continue to watch either deteriorate or create safety issues for our students.”

The district estimates tax impact will be less than $150 a year for the average assessed home in Princeton.

If taxpayers approve the referendum, the district would put the projects out for bid at a time this fall. Bond interest rates are currently about 2.5 percent, Wilson said.

“All of the work will be completed within 18 months much of it much sooner than that,” Wilson said. "Work could start as soon as we could bond which could be November of this year if it's a successful referendum. “

Many of the projects will address facilities that have been neglected for a decade or more.

“The baseball fields have not been touched in more than 20 years, no one can actually remember when and so there is money in this question and project work in this question to upgrade drainage systems, safety of the playing fields, cages and netting for our baseball teams,” Wilson said.

Also planned is replacing the turf field, track and bleachers at the high school.

“Addressing the track and turf issues will prevent their closure so that we do not continue to let the community and the teams and athletes and physical education classes use those under any unsafe conditions,” Wilson said.

To see a full list of the school's district's proposed list of improvements, click here.

Have more questions about the referendum? Click here to send the district an email.

Click here to find your polling place. 


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