Cherry Hill residents vote on schools’ $363 million bond referendum, the largest in state

Cherry Hill School Superintendent Joseph Meloche believes a $363 million bond referendum is a “once-in-a-generation” opportunity to make desperately needed changes in every school in the South Jersey school system.

It is the largest single school bond referendum in New Jersey in at least a decade and would drastically change the landscape in Cherry Hill. Voters had until late Thursday to approve the proposal that would raise local property taxes.

If approved, it would finance projects to address everything from leaky roofs, to plumbing and electrical upgrades, to window, door and HVAC system replacements. The district, among the largest in the tri-county region, has 19 schools that enroll about 12,000 students.

“Do I think it’s too ambitious? I don’t,” Meloche said in an interview. “There’s just no getting around it anymore.”

The bond has drawn strong opinions around the Camden County community of 70,000, where lawns have been peppered with signs in support and opposition.

“It’s the economy, stupid,” said resident Rick Short, a father of four, citing the catchphrase of Bill Clinton’s 1992 presidential campaign. “People are hurting. It’s just a bad idea to bring this kind of a bond in a recession.”

If approved, the bond would add about $400 a year in new taxes on a home assessed at the township average of $226,400. In 2022, school taxes represented about 56% of the average bill of $9,250, according to the district.

Cherry Hill voters in 2018 rejected the last school bond referendum, a $211 million proposal that would have largely funded infrastructure projects such as asbestos remediation and new music rooms and classrooms. Voters last approved a school bond in 1999, for $52 million.

Numerous organizations have supported the latest proposal, including unions representing Cherry Hill teachers and administrators. Some parents like Jessica Fingerman are concerned about the condition of some schools.

“The problems aren’t going to go away. This work needs to happen,” said Fingerman. “Who loses in the end? Our students and our staff.”

The state is expected to contribute $113 million if Cherry Hill voters approve the question. The district said the bond term would run for 20 years, calculated at 4% interest when the proposal was drafted.

Statewide, voters in 11 school districts were considering school construction projects totaling more than $611.1 million, according to the New Jersey School Boards Association. Thursday was one of five times during the year that school boards may ask voters to approve a bond issue or special question.

The referendum questions can be a tough sell to voters because they typically seek a property tax increase. They allow districts to pay for projects that cannot readily be funded through their annual operating budgets.

Elsewhere in South Jersey:

The Greater Egg Harbor Regional High School District in Atlantic County asked voters to approve a $19.7 million bond for renovations at its three high schools. The state would contribute $8.8 million.

In Burlington County, Mansfield voters were deciding on a $2.2 million capital project that includes safety and security improvements, upgrading the HVAC system and replacing the roof at the elementary school. The state would contribute $892,400.

The Cherry Hill proposal would affect every school in the district. It called for renovations and additions, all-purpose rooms, safety and security improvements, energy-efficient lighting, and classrooms accessible to the disabled.

“I am 100% yes, without question,” said Kristen Viglietta, whose daughter is a seventh grader at Rosa International Middle School. “The time is now, and this is the bond to do it.”

Every school submitted a video on the website www.cherryhilltomorrow.com on why the bond was important. The newest schools were built 50 years ago. Meloche said the HVAC systems are beyond the age of their expected use and it has become difficult to get replacement parts.

After voters rejected the 2018 proposal, Cherry Hill hired a new architectural firm, Garrison Architects, and formed an ad-hoc committee that sought input from residents and other stakeholders, Meloche said. There have been more than three dozen community meetings pitching the proposal.

Resident Larry Wang remained skeptical about the bond, posting on Facebook: “With inflation, COVID, and a possible recession, it seems a very poor time to ask Cherry Hill taxpayers to foot the bill once again.”

If the bond is approved, Meloche said it would take several years to complete the work, which would be done in stages. The district would be in a difficult position if the ballot proposal is defeated, he said.

“We’re facing catastrophic failure with some of our building systems,” Meloche said. “There is work that must be done.”