These are the ballot questions Central Jersey voters will see on Election Day 2022
While there are no statewide public questions on the Nov. 8 election ballot, several Central Jersey municipalities will be asking voters their opinions on school district issues, open space funding and electricity bills.
Some towns have major ballot questions, like Somerville selling its sewer system, Branchburg proposing land acquisitions to block warehouses and affordable housing and Montgomery and Rocky Hill residents on whether to institute a full-day kindergarten.
But there are questions in other Central Jersey municipalities and school districts.
Bedminster
Voters will be asked whether to reduce the size of the Bedminster Board of Education from nine to seven members.
The K-8 school district – the township sends its high school students to Bernards High School in the Somerset Hills School District – has experienced difficulties in attracting school board members.
In a township with a population of more than 8,000, there are currently two vacancies on its nine-member board. And on November’s ballot, there is only one candidate for four open seats.
State law allows the size of a school board to be reduced by a public vote in a referendum.
South Bound Brook, another K-8 district, has seven members.
Delaware
Township voters will decide whether the school district should bond $1.35 million for the replacement of approximately 33,000 square feet of roof at the district’s only K-8 school.
The roof covers the gym, the middle school wing next to the middle school parking lot, and the elementary school kindergarten wing. Sections of the roof are about 22 years old and have gone beyond their 20-year warranty. The state will provide up to 40% debt service aid.
Franklin
Voters will decide whether the township should establish a community aggregation program that would allow it to leverage the number of residential units, about 27,000 according to the 2020 Census, to contract with an energy supplier to save at least 5% on electricity that is produced with a minimum of 10% renewable energy, an amount more than required by state law.
If the question is approved, all residential customers would be enrolled in this plan – as required by state law – but would have the option of opting out before the program begins or at any time with 30 days’ notice.
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In addition, residents can also opt “in and out” by choosing an 100% renewable electricity provider that may or may not have comparable savings.
Electricity bills now consist of two parts – the electricity itself and the cost of delivering electricity.
If the question passes, PSE&G will continue to deliver the electricity and residents will be billed at the regulated delivery rate. PSE&G will continue to provide all emergency and safety services, as well as meter reading, billing and service restoration. Residents will receive only one monthly bill from PSE&G, and residents will send your payments only to PSEG.
For more information, visit the state’s energy aggregation website.
Green Brook
Township voters will be asked whether to re-establish a municipal open space tax.
Twice before, township voters have approved the tax for a period of 10 years.
For every $100,000 of equalized assessed value, the tax would be $5 per year. Property taxes on a house assessed at $500,000 would rise $25 under the tax.
The money will be placed in a trust fund to be exclusively for open space, historic preservation and recreation. In the past, the money has been used to protect land from development, partial funding for the acquisition and development of Arthur Lewis Park, playground and pavilion improvements at Top of the World Park, historic preservation planning and projects.
New Providence
Borough voters will decide whether to approve a $22.19 million bond to fund improvements at the Salt Brook Elementary School, the Allen W. Roberts Elementary School and the New Providence Middle School/High School.
According to the school district, $4.7 million will be allocated to the Salt Brook, $6.4 million will be allocated to the Allen W. Roberts, $1.4 million will be allocated to the middle school and $7.7 million to the high school.
The project includes the replacement and repair of the middle/high school roof and districtwide ventilation units. In addition, new mobile and flexible-use furniture will be purchased to support the district’s Think Tank Classroom Environment and provide teachers with more opportunities to create environments more conducive to optimal learning.
North Hunterdon
Voters in the North Hunterdon-Voorhees Regional High School District will decide whether to spend $6.5 million to fund facilities upgrades, renovations and repairs at North Hunterdon and Voorhees high schools, with a goal to maintain safe facilities and improve energy efficiency.
The proposed work includes HVAC improvements and upgrades at North Hunterdon, where school district officials said the units are beyond their useful life expectancy and would be replaced with high-efficiency equipment providing fresh air ventilation, improved air filtration, heating and cooling for classrooms.
North Hunterdon would also get new fire-rated interior stair doors, a renovation of the boys locker room and updates to physical education teachers offices and the coaches locker room.
At Voorhees, the plan includes ventilation upgrades to units servicing kitchen, first-floor locker rooms and the rear gymnasium, as well as replacing inefficient pipe insulation.
Voorhees would also see the removal and replacement of concrete and railroad tie steps along the wall of the pedestrian bridge. In addition, the deteriorating wood retaining wall, wood staircase and railings at the soccer and lacrosse field (“The Pit”) would be removed and replaced.
Email: mdeak@mycentraljersey.com
Mike Deak is a reporter for mycentraljersey.com. To get unlimited access to his articles on Somerset and Hunterdon counties, please subscribe or activate your digital account.
This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: NJ election: Ballot questions Central Jersey voters will see
