The Princeton Public Schools will not have a facilities bond referendum in November as officials had intended because the New Jersey Department of Education is not done reviewing the nearly $130 million package of projects.
School district administrators were looking this week to meet an election-related deadline to hold the referendum on Nov. 6.
The Board of Education was supposed to vote on Sept. 4 to place the referendum, split into two questions, on the Nov. 6 ballot, but officials learned earlier in the day on Sept. 4 that the state has not finished its review.
Officials said there is a “backlog” at the Department of Education with other school districts that also have referendum plans.
Prior to the board meeting, district administrators announced there would be no vote that night and, consequently, there would be no referendum in November.
Board President Patrick Sullivan on Sept. 4 called it “frustrating that the approval did not come through in a timely manner.”
The Department of Education this week explained its review process.
“The department reviews the individual projects and then determines the amount of state funding the district is eligible to receive,” Department of Education spokesman Michael Yaple said by email on Sept. 5.
“The process takes some time and the Princeton projects are sizable, with the nine projects including renovations, new construction and a new school. The department is working to provide the district with service that is as thorough, accurate and responsive as possible,” Yaple said.
The earliest the district could have a referendum would be Dec. 11, but Sullivan would not commit to that date.
“I think it wouldn’t be wise to set a new date until we have certainty the state is going to do what they are supposed to do first,” he said.
“We remain excited about the facilities referendum and will continue to communicate the facts to our community as we plan to address needed improvements to our buildings as well as needed space for our current and growing student population,” Superintendent of Schools Stephen C. Cochrane said in a statement.
The district, facing a projected enrollment of more than 4,500 students by 2027, is looking to build a new school, acquire 15 acres on Thanet Circle, renovate Princeton High School and meet other needs through a $129.6 million referendum. Officials have said schools are already at or over capacity.
A standing-room-only crowd at the board meeting told Cochrane and board members of their concerns about the proposal.
More than 30 people signed up to speak during public comment and while not everyone came to the microphone, those who did expressed concerns about a “heavy” tax burden on residents and the need for a “better plan” for the schools.
On the signup sheet, one resident listed the topic he intended to speak on as “Keeping our house in P’ton!”
Residents pressed officials for more financial details about how the referendum projects would impact the annual school budget in operating costs, like added staffing and maintenance.
They raised alarm about how higher property taxes would drive people out of town and make Princeton a place where only the wealthy could afford to live.
“Many homeowners are already under financial stress due to the staggering increase in property assessments and taxes,” Leighton Newlin said. “People value education and all want what is best for our children. But they should not support an initiative not properly vetted and one that will cause further discomfort and be the catalyst for their own demise.”
“Princeton needs affordable taxes,” said Daniel Harris. “We want an inclusive community, not one which people are forced to leave.”
Susanna Monseau said “we are very, very stretched in Princeton, that many of us cannot afford the taxes as they are.”
As for the referendum, district administrators have said the proposal would be split into two questions. One question for $82.5 million would include building a new school for fifth- and sixth-graders, buying the Thanet Circle property and improving the HVAC system at every school, among other things. The $47 million second question would include improvements at the high school.
If both questions pass, the tax hike on the average home assessment of $837,074 would be $289 in 2020, according to data the district has released.
For the most part, those who spoke were older residents, representative of the divide in the community on the referendum.
Resident Bruce Lawton, in his remarks, touched on the factions that have formed. He said people who back the referendum are the “decidedly younger set” raising children, with those against the proposal “generally” an “older crowd” who are “invariably without children.”
“The reason for these positions is obvious and understandable,” Lawton said. “The former want nothing but the very best for their offspring and their hopeful future. The latter are seriously worried about their own future and their ability to hold onto their homes.”
Resident John Heilner said he and his wife moved to Princeton 20 years ago, but they are now downsizing “because of the huge increase in property taxes over those 20 years.”
“Like other seniors, we believe we have contributed to the community and we would like to stay here,” he said.
At one point, there was a tense moment between Sullivan and resident Joel Schwartz, who sought to give officials advice about running their meetings, but did not want his remarks to count against his two-minute time allotment.
Sullivan demurred, prompting a brief back and forth between the two men and leading to the board taking a brief recess. When the meeting resumed, Schwartz returned to the microphone to deliver his remarks.
District administrators said they intended to release this week what the operating costs will be from the referendum projects.
One official told residents the district is taking the long view of things for a community where the population has grown by 11 percent in the past eight years.
“We know we’re asking sacrifice, but we’re also trying to think 50 years in the future for this community,” board member Greg Stankiewicz said. “We need to plan rationally and well and we need your input. And we value your input. But you need to think into the future.”
