There are three Somerset County school districts holding referendums on Tuesday, including an $18.5 million spending plan in Montgomery Township.
Three Somerset County school districts have bond referendums coming up for public vote Tuesday, including an $18.5 million spending plan in Montgomery Township, a $2 million referendum in Hillsborough Township and a $941,000 referendum for the Watchung Hills Regional High School district.
The school districts will be eligible for approximately 40-percent in state funding if the referendums are approved. For both Hillsborough and Watchung Hills, there will be no increase in the school property taxes. according to both districts.
For Montgomery Township residents, if the referendum is approved, a taxpayer with a home that has an assessed value of $499,206 will see an average annual property tax increase of $126. For Rocky Hill taxpayers, those with a home assessed value of $439,562 will see an average annual property tax increase of $74, according to the district.
Montgomery High School graduation 2015 (PHOTOS)
Hillsborough's referendum will fund the replacement of the artificial turf field at the high school and pacing, parking lot, drainage and site improvements at the middle school.
Watchung Hills' referendum is for a new turf field at the high school, as upgrades to the track. Because the district has the funds for the work in its capital reserve fund, even if the referendum is voted down, the work will be completed.
The referendum in Montgomery is for a large number of projects at Orchard Hill and Village elementary schools, the Lower and Upper middle schools and Montgomery High School, including roof, boiler and carpet replacements, renovations and paving projects. The work would begin during the 2016-17 school year and continue into 2019.