9 of 10 NJ school referendum pass, totaling over $162M

All but one school referendum in New Jersey passed during Tuesday's elections.

Votes in Carteret, Fair Haven, Hawthorne, Oaklyn, Rockaway Borough, Rancocas Valley, Rutherford and Watchung Hills Regional approved spending proposals totaling more than $162 million. Colts Neck's referendum failed.

The state picks up what the New Jersey School Boards Association deems a "significant" portion of the eligible school construction costs through annual debt service aid. The state picks up 40% of the funding for these projects, local taxpayers pay the rest.

• The Carteret school district celebrated approval of a $36.9 million bond to build a new junior high school with a post on the district website that said "we're getting a new school" with pictures from the victory. Money will also go toward interior renovations and capital improvements at five other schools including new heating and air conditioning systems at the Minue Elementary School and Carteret Middle School.
• Fair Haven voters, by a 61%-39% vote, approved a $15.6 million referendum to fund renovating, adding and improving instructional space. A secure entry vestibule at the Sickles schools will be built and other security measures will be added to both schools.
• Hawthorne voters overwhelmingly approved their $24.3 million referendum by 68%-31%. The plan will allow the building of a new junior high school and upgraded restrooms and HVAC at all the schools.
• The Oaklyn school district said voters approved a referendum by a 4-1 margin. The $3.9 million will help fund upgrades to the district's only elementary school.

• A number of improvement projects in the Rockaway Borough district will go forward with the approval of a $12.4 million referendum by a 60%-40% vote including an addition to the Lincoln School.
• Voters in the Rancocas Valley Regional High School district approved a $21.7 million bond that will be used to replace all the windows at the high school and an air conditioning upgrade.
• Rutherford voters passed a $45.3 million referendum the school district said will renovate 50-year-old science labs at the high school and improve heating and air conditioning.
• The Watchung Hills Regional High School district gave approval to a $3.8 million referendum that officials said will not impact taxpayers in order to fix electrical panels and revamp the media center.

Colts Neck voters turned down a $25.4 million referendum, 54%-46%, that would have gone towards school security and infrastructure upgrades.

"Not the result we hoped for, but thank you to all voters who came out in support of us," the district said Wednesday on its Facebook page.

All the districts must wait until Thursday for the arrival of mail in ballots in order to finalize their vote count.

Previous reporting by Joe Cutter was used in this report.

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com or via Twitter @DanAlexanderNJ

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