Manalapan-Englishtown Regional School District balances its commitment to academic excellence with its fiscal responsibility to the community. The Board of Education believes a bond referendum aligns with this responsible approach to financial planning. 

The Board of Education is planning a bond referendum as a strategy to complete critical infrastructure upgrades with help from funding outside the annual budget.  

• If voters approve, the referendum will provide $36.7 million in state aid toward the $115,378,000 total project costs to reduce the amount to be paid by taxpayers. A successful referendum is the only way to access this type of state aid for school building improvements.  

• Certain types of projects are eligible for state aid when approved through a bond referendum. The Board worked closely with the district’s architects to strategically select projects for the referendum that qualify for the maximum amount of state aid.  

By capturing state aid toward the projects, the local costs would be reduced and spread over the 20-year bond term.  

• The estimated tax impact for the new school debt would be: 

  • $30.60 per month for the owner of a home in Manalapan assessed at the township average of $610,224

  • $22.73 per month for the owner of a home in Englishtown assessed at the borough average of $467,131.  

• This increase would not appear on tax bills until July 2026. 

• Assessed value is different than market value. The market value is a home’s potential sale price, while assessed value – typically a lower figure – is used to determine tax bills. 

The State of New Jersey has two programs for property tax relief. 

• The Property Tax Reimbursement (PTR program), otherwise known as "Senior Freeze," offers property tax reimbursements for senior citizens and people with disabilities who qualify. After applicants are approved, their property tax payments are “frozen” at the current amount, and they will receive a rebate if taxes increase because of the school bond referendum or any other reason. A 2024 law increased the income eligibility limit for the program to $150,000. More information is available on the Senior Freeze webpage or by calling (800) 882-6597.  

• A second plan recently established is called the Stay NJ property tax credit program, which will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2026. More information can be found on the Stay NJ webpage. Questions about the program can be submitted online through a form on the website. 

• Other current programs are the NJ $250 Senior Citizen Property Tax Deduction and the Affordable New Jersey Communities for Homeowners and Renters (ANCHOR). 

The district is constantly searching for additional funding opportunities such as Stabilization Aid, Emergent and Capital Maintenance Needs Grants, Local Recreation Improvement Grants, Energy Savings Improvement Program (ESIP), and USAC Category 2 Funding to accomplish limited-scope projects that don't qualify for inclusion in the proposed referendum.  

The District applied to the New Jersey Department of Education for funding under its ROD Grant program but was not selected.  Limited resources in the Capital Reserve Fund limit the District's ability to participate in some programs due to fund matching requirements.