The more you know, the more you'll
VOTE NO.

The ill-conceived $40+ million school bond referendum is December 13th. If you really love Millburn, VOTE NO.

The truth about class sizes in the Millburn School system. The Board exaggerated sizes and crowding.

The community is not against spending money on our schools. However, it will not support this ill-conceived, high risk, no alternatives plan.

Other Jersey voters not afraid to send a message to their Boards of Education when they turned down recent referendums.

Board of Education member, at Oct. 24th meeting, concedes that the bond costs are for building only. This means when operating costs and interest are added, the real figure goes up over three times.

Board of Education July newsletter leaves many questions unanswered.

Demographics do not support proposed $40+ million school construction plan.

50% of Millburn are empty nesters and 11% have children in private and parochial schools. Expect record voter turnout because they know they are being treated unfairly and that this bond is ill-conceived.

FAQ

Shame on us.
Since 1998, voter turnout
for Millburn school board
and spending elections have
averaged less than 20%.

The Township does not have a very good voting record. That was one of the primary reasons that concerned citizens formed the non-profit grassroots organization WeLoveMillburn.com. The mission is to provide information on issues and encourage all residents to vote.

Even with the League of Women Voters in town encouraging get-out-the-vote for many years, our record is abysmal. The town voting record on school elections and referendums is even lower than our already low voting record for state and federal elections. Shame on us all.

As a well meaning, concerned citizen and resident of the Township, you cannot view these voting statistics below and not be concerned.

Let's look at our local voting record.

Notice the statistics for total households, population, registered voters and then finally actual voters on various issues during recent elections.

 Total households and total population of the township
2004
6,887 households in the total township
19,675 people living in the households

Registered voters in township according to County Clerk’s office
2004
13,548 registered voters
2005
12,830 registered voters
 
Actual number of residents who voted in recent elections
2004
654 voted in the Primaries
10,319 voted in the General Election
2,759 voted in the School Election
2005
1,580 voted in the School Election
1,276 voted in the June primary
 

School Board and school spending election facts

  • Between 1979 and 2004, voter turnout ranged from a low of 529 to a high of 5,456.
  • The highest voter turnout ever for a school election was 5,456 in 1994 for a $36,800,000 Special School Expansion that was defeated.
  • The next highest turnout was in 2002 for Special Expansion at Elementary Schools for $18,010,000 that passed with 3,685 voters turning out.
  • The next highest turnout was in 1995 after the 1994 Expansion was turned down. This time the Elementary School Modified Expansion for $22,420,000 passed and only 3,445 voters turned out.
    Sources: Board of Education, The Item, County Clerk’s office, Voter Registration Clerk in Millburn Town Hall.

We have an important vote in December
that affects all residents.

You have just read local voting statistics. You realize that in spite of good intentions, our voting record is not stellar. In mid-December, we have an important town school bond referendum. The Board of Education has a proposed $42.3 million school bond referendum that all registered residents should be voting for or against.

This article, compiled and written by a new, non-profit, grassroots citizen's organization named WeLoveMillburn.com, is very much against the proposed bond referendum in its current form. The organization has asked the School Administration and the Board of Education for a backup plan and a closer look at alternatives, and that has not happened. All of these issues are discussed in detail on this website.

While WeLoveMillburn.com is openly declaring our point of view and asking residents to consider voting NO, we also ask all citizens regardless of how they feel, for or against, to go out and vote.

For reference purposes,
review the overall voting record of our country.

These figures are for national voter turnout in recent U.S. federal elections.

 
Voting-age pop.
Voter regist.
Voter turnout
% voting
2004
221,256,931
174,800,000
122,294,978
55.3%
2002
215,473,000
150,990,598
79,830,119
37.0%
2000
205,815,000
156,421,311
105,586,274
51.3%
1998
200,929,000
<