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Pitman voters approve $21.3 million school bond referendum

It will mean a $254 annual property tax increase for the average borough homeowner.

Pitman High School.
Pitman High School.Read moreMelanie Burney / Melanie Burney

Pitman voters overwhelmingly approved a $21.3 million bond referendum in a special election this week to raise additional funds for repairs and upgrades in the South Jersey school system.

In preliminary unofficial results from Tuesday’s election, voters approved two spending questions, the district said in a statement. The approval will mean a $264 annual property tax increase for the owner of a home assessed at the borough average of $238,209.

» READ MORE: Pitman voters are considering $21.3 million referendum to improve aging schools

Voters in three other districts in the state also approved construction proposals Tuesday, according to the New Jersey School Boards Association. The state will fund 40% of the $174.4 million in costs.

Tuesday was one of five times during the year that school boards may ask voters to approve a bond issue or special question. Pitman was the only South Jersey district that had referendum questions, which can be a tough sell to residents because they typically seek a property tax increase.

The first question, a project to fund new boilers, bathrooms, and upgrades at Pitman Elementary, passed 895-428, the district said. The proposal also calls for replacing a sinking track at Pitman High, making a partial roof repair, and fixing drainage issues between the track and parking lot.

Residents voted 878-442 to approve a second question to fund the installation of air-conditioning at the elementary school. The district also plans to install a security vestibule at the high school to better screen visitors. The district said it plans to use budget funds to put a security vestibule at the elementary school by 2026; that was not part of the referendum.

Voters had to pass the first ballot question in order for the projects proposed in the second question to go forward. The district said it would take years to finance the projects through its annual operating budget and without state aid. The district enrolls 1,200 students in prekindergarten through 12th grade.

In a statement, Superintendent Robert Preston expressed appreciation that voters approved both spending plans. District officials plan to work with consultants to obtain bonds at favorable rates, and architects and engineers will prepare the project specifications to seek bids for the work, he said.

“It really is about showing that Pitman schools are here to stay. This really represents schools for generations to come,” Preston said.

Elsewhere in the state, voters in Princeton in Mercer County, Mendham Borough in Morris County, and Scotch Plains-Fanwood in Union County approved school spending proposals.