These 4 NJ school districts will ask voters for more money on Election Day

Four school districts in Monmouth and Ocean counties will ask voters to approve special spending projects on Election Day, asking for more money for new computers, new kitchens, more teachers and additional security.

New Jersey law requires school districts to limit annual tax levy increases to 2%, but years of inflation have depleted districts' ability to maintain their desired level of services and stay within budget.

To exceed the 2% cap on annual tax levy increases, school districts must get voter approval for their projects.

Jackson

The Jackson Public School District will ask voters to approve more than $4 million in new spending to hire teachers, student counselors and support staff. If approved, the measure will hire 10 elementary teachers, 12 middle and high school teachers, four teachers for English language learners, six guidance counselors, two student assistance counselors for substance abuse and additional district support staff.

Classroom sizes are too large, a growing number of students are not native English speakers, and more substance abuse and counseling services are needed in the district, Superintendent Nicole Pormilli said earlier this year.

If approved, the initiative would raise taxes about $96 annually on a house assessed at the municipal average of $330,688, according to school leaders.

Lakehurst

Lakehurst Elementary School officials are looking to borough voters to approve $3 million in additional spending to replace the school's 13-year-old roof and install a new kitchen.

If approved, the state will cover about 73% of the costs of the project, according to district Business Administrator Joe Firetto.

The roof repair is necessary for the health and safety of students and staff, he said. The construction of a kitchen would provide healthier, less costly lunch options than having meals delivered to the school, he said.

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If approved, taxpayers would only see their school debt service tax increase in 2025, when the costs of older debt combines with costs of the roof and kitchen projects to raise the annual debt service bill by $57 on a home assessed at the municipal average of $161,133, the business administrator said.

Lakehurst taxpayers currently pay about $117 in debt service on the average assessed home, he said. Once the older debt expires in 2025, taxpayers will see their school debt service costs drop by $5, to $112, in 2026, Firetto said.

Matawan-Aberdeen Regional

Matawan-Aberdeen Regional School District officials are asking voters for $2.8 million to hire police officers and bolster school security. If approved, the initiative would hire seven police officers, two school resource officers, security equipment and a vehicle for officers.

If approved, the question would permanently increase the school budget by $2,438,371 to cover the salaries of the officers into the future. However, $375,000 of the total cost would be a one-time expense for a security vehicle.

The initiative would raise taxes in Aberdeen about $254 per year on the home assessed at the municipal average of $354,213. In Matawan, taxes would rise about $287 a year on the average assessed home of $413,916.

Manalapan-Englishtown Regional

School officials in Manalapan-Englishtown Regional are asking voters for $218,500 to equip third graders with Chromebooks that would stay with the students for three years.

If approved, the initiative would permanently raise school taxes in order to buy Chromebooks for future third-graders.

The spending measure would raise taxes about $9.80 a year for a home assessed at the municipal average of $467,131 in Englishtown and $13.42 a year for the average home in Manalapan, valued at $610,366.

Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Nov. 7.

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Amanda Oglesby is an Ocean County native who covers education and the environment. She has worked for the Press for more than 15 years. Reach her at @OglesbyAPP, aoglesby@gannettnj.com or 732-557-5701.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: These 4 NJ school districts will ask voters for more money