New Jersey voters reject numerous bond referendums Tuesday, September 27th.

Millburn School Board plans to roll the dice on our children's education. According to the New Jersey School Board Association on Tuesday, September 27th, more school bond referendums were rejected by voters than any other voting day in the State of New Jersey this decade. The number of bond referendums, throughout the State, that were put up to a vote, set a record for the most bond referendums on a single day — 38 school districts were seeking to raise $837 million.

Here are a few facts about Tuesday's school bond votes throughout the State of New Jersey:

• Voters throughout New Jersey rejected 52% of the $837 million of proposed construction funds put up for vote.
• Of the total New Jersey bond referendums voted for, 45% were rejected by voters.
• This was the lowest rate of bond approvals since July of 2000 when a special school funding program was first formed in New Jersey.
• All bonds voted for on Tuesday were eligible for State funds (in December, Millburn may not be eligible).
• Of the bonds that passed, one large $34 million bond in Verona only passed by 10 votes and another large $48 million bond in Parsippany only passed after it had been reduced from $85 million. After virtually 40 years of no bond referendums, Madison was also able to get a $40+ million bond referendum passed.

What are the chances of the proposed Millburn/Short Hills Bond referendum being defeated like so many others? Based on the following facts, the answer is — very high.

• First — 3 out of 9 of Millburn's School Board Members have publicly stated their opposition to this proposed bond referendum.
• Second — More than 60% of households in Millburn/Short Hills have no children in the public schools.
• Third — Property taxes have risen by almost 50% in 5 years and have almost doubled in 10 years.
• Fourth — State funding in December is unlikely.
• Fifth — Including the currently proposed referendum, Millburn/Short Hills will have raised almost $100 million in just 10 years.

Obviously New Jersey taxpayers have reached a breaking point. At Monday night's School Board Meeting, one Board member, Scott Kamber, announced that he opposes having an "all or nothing" bond referendum in December. Instead Mr. Kamber suggested that the Millburn School Board and administration seek to devise a new and more cost-effective construction plan that will garner greater community support and therefore have a greater chance of being approved by voters. To accomplish this, Mr. Kamber recommended that the School Board delay the bond referendum until March. WeLoveMillburn.com agrees with his recommendation and urges everyone to express your opinion by contacting our elected School Board and/or School Administration. Please call and tell them that we need to move forward with a new bond referendum. Importantly, a new bond referendum should be one that has a high likelihood of being approved by voters in March, not the ill-conceived bond referendum that is likely to be rejected by voters in December which is just two months away.

Don't let the School Board roll the dice with our children's education.

WeLoveMillburn.com
September 29, 2005

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