MIDDLE TOWNSHIP – Roughly a dozen residents who spoke at an Aug. 28 forum on the school district’s $26.5 million bonding referendum were almost uniformly against the bond issue and the tax increase that would result. They argued that the time is not right, given the many financial burdens people are facing now.

The school district is holding a special election Sept. 17 asking voters for permission to bond for the $26.5 million for improvements to two of the district’s schools and to the athletic facilities at the high school. The debt service on the bond would create a new element to the district tax levy, and the added tax to cover the new debt would be a part of the tax levy for at least 20 years.

Among the residents who spoke at the meeting were senior citizens on fixed incomes who talked about the need to limit tax increases. One speaker asked why consolidation was not a bigger part of future planning for the district.

A woman from Whitesboro argued that the money would be better spent improving educational performance than on building renovations and athletic fields.

The planned use of synthetic turf at Memorial Field came under attack as a surface alleged to be dangerous for school-age athletes.

Several questioned why taxpayer dollars were being used to pay $43,000 for a special election when the referendum could have held for free as part of the general election just seven weeks later. To that argument, panelists speaking for the district said that the delay would hamper the ability of the projects to get to groundbreaking in summer 2025.

When that did not appear to satisfy those questioning the special election, David Salvo, district superintendent, said the reason for its timing was that he did not want the referendum measure to become political, and anything on the general election ballot would be politicized.

One speaker said that the use of a special election was seen as a way to avoid a large turnout of voters and to limit voting hours in the hopes that a small turnout would give the referendum measure a better chance at passage.

A woman brought a copy of her tax bill to show that “52% of my taxes go now to the school tax.” She said the timing was all wrong. “Put some of this on the shelf,” she said.

To Salvo’s argument that merchants in the township would benefit from out-of-town teams and their fans making greater use of refurbished athletic facilities, the response of one speaker was, “At the expense of the taxpayers!”

A school district financial consultant said that the impact of the referendum measure would be $165 per year in additional tax levy for the average assessed-value home in Middle Township, $251,000.

Another speaker challenged the referendum measure’s use of $251,000 as the average assessed value of a home. “I don’t believe that for a minute,” one said. Another added that she had gone to the tax assessor’s office, and they could not tell her the averaged assessed value of a home in the township.

According to Danielle Marino, a financial adviser for the district, the $251,000 figure was arrived at by taking the total assessed value of property in the township and dividing it by the number of residential units in township statistics. It was not meant to be a precise number, she said, but rather a general guide to the impact the referendum measure’s passing would have on taxes.

The addition to the tax levy would be separate and added to any future tax increases that may be part of the annual budget cycle. It becomes part of the base to which future increases would be added for at least 20 years.

A theme to which Salvo returned often in the discussion was that “every child is a dollar amount.” The district is receiving $13.3 million in fiscal year 2025 state aid. That aid is based on enrollment, making retention a high priority for the district, he said.

One person spoke for the referendum measure. He said this was about supporting the district’s “first-class educational system” that turns out students as prepared young adults. “Look at the graduation statistics,” he said.

The District Plan

According to Salvo, the referendum measure includes funding for improvements to elevate educational experiences, benefit families and enhance athletic areas that serve as community resources.

An addition to Elementary School 1 would allow the district to expand its free pre-k program, where, Salvo said, more than 100 families are waiting for access. It would reduce the burden on “families spending $10,000 a year on private preschool.”

To make room, Elementary School 1 would also see second graders move to Elementary School 2, “where they could receive a more cohesive elementary school experience,” he said. Salvo also said it was important that an expanded pre-k program would increase township enrollment, with students and families who hopefully would continue in the township schools.

Elementary School 2 would also see a building addition, of nine classrooms, two group instruction rooms, new bathrooms, a mechanical room and a storage room. This would help accommodate the second graders coming over from Elementary 1.

Both buildings would see upgraded unit ventilators.

Most of the funding for athletic facilities would go to Memorial Field, where new synthetic turf and accompanying drainage infrastructure would provide a field that could host many more events. Salvo often spoke of attracting championship tournaments to the new field. The bleachers and lighting would also be replaced or upgraded. Tennis courts would be resurfaced.

The way the funding would be used in a broad sense is $19.6 million for instructional space improvements in the two school buildings, $2 million for new HVAC and electrical work, and $4.9 million for athletic area upgrades. If the referendum measure passes, the state will chip in $3 million for the projects.

There was no discussion on whether the bond amount of $26.5 million would be lowered by the $3 million from the state; $26.5 million is the amount the voters are being asked to approve.

If the referendum measure fails, Salvo painted a picture of some teacher layoffs, pre-k kids turned away for lack of space, and the district still left to deal with some aspects of the projects that cannot be put off, an example being the replacement of home-side bleachers.

Salvo argued that costs are not going down, and this is the cheapest way for the district to do this work.