Voters in three South Jersey towns approve school bond questions that will raise local property taxes

Voters in three South Jersey towns approved school bond questions in a special election Tuesday that will raise local property taxes to fund improvements and projects in their school districts.

West Deptford, Willingboro, and Southampton were the only South Jersey school systems with referendum questions in Tuesday’s special election, one of five times during the year that school boards can ask voters to approve a bond issue or special question. The questions can be a tough sell to voters because they typically mean a property tax increase.

Across the state, voters approved construction and other questions on the ballot totaling $579.9 million, according to the New Jersey School Boards Association. Questions were rejected in seven districts.

Here’s what to know about results of the bond questions in South Jersey:

According to unofficial results, an $89.9 million bond issue in West Deptford passed 1,655 to 1,125. It was the largest school bond question on the ballot Tuesday in the tri-county region and will mean a $384 annual property tax increase for the owner of a home assessed at the township average.

“These projects, several of which have been shelved for years because they don’t fit into the annual budget, will greatly improve learning environments in our schools and help improve academic outcomes,” Superintendent Brian Gismondi said in a statement. The state will contribute $23.8 million.

West Deptford plans to expand its preschool program to include 3-year-olds, adding 10 classrooms to the district’s early childhood center. The Gloucester County district also wants to upgrade HVAC systems at its five schools and add a music room to the high school.

In Burlington County, voters in Willingboro approved two proposals on the ballot, totaling $67.9 million, for projects including new roofs, science lab renovations, and gym annexes. The state will contribute $24 million.

The first question, to raise $49.7 million for improvements, passed 1,572 to 748, the district said. The second question, for spending $18.2 million to build an indoor track and athletic complex, was approved 1,233 to 1,054, the district said.

About $276 would be added annually to the average tax bill for both questions.

“We appreciate that Willingboro voters saw the value in making these improvements and chose to invest in the future of our students,” Willingboro Public Schools Superintendent Malcolm X. Outlaw said.

In Southampton, Burlington County, voters approved a $14.1 million referendum, 837 to 772, for projects that include security upgrades, a new media center, and an annex for art and music rooms, Superintendent Megan Geibel said. The capital improvement project also calls for refurbishing two elementary playgrounds.

Geibel said the spending plan will add about $29 to the average annual tax bill. The state will contribute $3.5 million.

“We’re happy and ready to move forward,” Geibel said Wednesday.