Everything you need to know before Tuesday’s vote.
By Matt Skoufalos
Supporters of the school bond referendum have dotted lawns in Haddon Township with signs like this one, which encouraging voters to approve the building project. Credit: Matt Skoufalos.
On Tuesday, Haddon Township residents will decide whether to authorize as much as $43.6 million in improvements to the infrastructure of the township public school system.
The project, which has been described by Superintendent Nancy Ward as “meat and potatoes”in its scope, will be decided by a vote on two questions.
Question One, the total cost of which has been trimmed by $1.1 million on appeal, would approve $39 million in improvements to the township elementary and high schools.
Question Two would approve $4.5 million in improvements to the high school stadium and grounds.
The cost of both projects would be distributed across all taxpayers in the district over a 30-year period at an estimated 4.5-percent interest rate.
Thirty-six percent of the total project cost in Question One would be covered by state grant and aid funds. The stadium improvements described in Question Two are not aid-eligible.
Scope of the Project
Click here for a detailed presentation on the specifics of the construction from Garrison Architects, the engineering firm that would oversee the build-out, if approved.
For a more in-depth examination of the issues around the project, have a look at NJ Pen coverage of the referendum.
- Haddon Twp. Superintendent: ‘No Dessert’ in $40M School Projects – July 25, 2014
- Revised Costs Shave $1.1M off Haddon Twp. School Construction – September 1, 2014
Property Tax Impact
The school district has provided a tax impact calculator that voters can use to determine the specific financial impact of the project. Simply enter the assessed value of your property (no commas), and the page will output the annual tax increase associated with the passage of each question.
Seniors may be eligible to file for a property tax freeze under certain circumstances.
When and Where to Vote
Polling places in Haddon Township will be open to registered voters from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, September 30. See a complete list in the chart below.
Not sure where to vote? Enter your address into this polling place form, and you will be referred to the appropriate location.
Polling locations in Haddon Township, NJ. Credit: Matt Skoufalos.
What if the Referendum Doesn’t Pass?
If both questions are voted down, the Haddon Township Board of Education could add the question to the Election Day ballot (November 4), and potentially again thereafter in December, January, or March. Each subsequent referendum would have to be approved by a majority vote of the board.
