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Voters APPROVE the No Sweat, No Debt referendum!
Voters APPROVE the No Sweat, No Debt referendum!
Preliminary results indicate that voters have approved Marlboro Township Public Schools’ proposal to bring air conditioning to classrooms at Asher Holmes and Robertsville Elementary Schools. This improvement will complete the district-wide air conditioning goal, giving all students comfortable learning environments that help them maintain focus and learn better.
The tally as of Tuesday night included 8,407 votes in favor and 4,819 opposed. The totals will be updated over the next few days as officials count mail-in ballots that were postmarked by the election date and verify any provisional ballots.
The district administration and Board of Education thank the Marlboro community for learning about the referendum and taking the time to vote.
No Sweat, No Debt
No Sweat, No Debt
The Marlboro Board of Education set a goal of adding air conditioning to all schools that didn’t have it. With the local tax rate and state funding, the district achieved 75% of the goal by adding air conditioning to 6 of its 8 schools.
Voters will decide whether that goal can be fully reached with a financing strategy based on taxes Marlboro residents already pay: No Sweat, No Debt.
A/C is part of the climate control systems for all buildings except Asher Holmes and Robertsville Elementary Schools. At these schools, some large areas are cooled, but classrooms are not.
The financially prudent plan to complete the A/C expansion hinges on a special type of state financial aid that comes to districts that use bond funding – even if that financing is very short term.
This vote will take place on Tuesday, November 4th as part of the General Election.
Why Pay for A/C via a Bond Referendum?
Why Pay for A/C via a Bond Referendum?
MTPS has almost enough money in its Capital Reserve (like a savings account) to pay the $5.3 million cost of expanding A/C to Asher and Robertsville. Using bond funding to close the gap has advantages:
Make comfortable work and learning environments sooner, rather than waiting another year or two to set aside more savings.
Get up to $2.1 million in state aid – that comes with bond funding, but not the regular budget.
Bring state tax dollars to Marlboro, rather than see taxes our residents pay go to other school districts that use bond funding.
Access up to $2.1 million in state aid - only with voter approval
Access up to $2.1 million in state aid - only with voter approval
Districts across New Jersey strategically hold bond referenda to access a type of state aid that is available through a voter-approved plan. In Marlboro’s case, the state has thoroughly reviewed the projects and agreed to pay up to 40% of the costs.
That’s up to $2.1 million in funding.
This is money that Marlboro residents already paid to the state through taxes. It can only be brought back to invest in our schools through approval of the referendum. This is a “use it or lose it” scenario.
What's the Timeline?
What's the Timeline?
To date, MTPS has made a minor investment in sketching out a plan to expand A/C. The New Jersey Department of Education requires that to consider how much financial aid to award.
Further work would only proceed if voters approve the financing strategy on November 4th.
With voter approval, MTPS would take the next steps with an eye on summer 2026 to begin installation. Completion would be targeted for spring 2027.
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