Frequently asked questions

A bond referendum is a vote in which a school district asks the community whether it can raise taxes to sell bonds to finance large-scale projects that do not fit into the district’s regular operating budget. New Jersey school districts pursue this financial path for two main reasons: to help spread the cost of the construction projects over time, like how a homeowner finances a new roof or an addition with a line of credit, and to tap into a type of state aid that is only available to districts with approved bond proposals.

School districts periodically need additions, renovations, and maintenance that are not possible through the annual operating budget. By doing these projects as part of a bond referendum, the district qualifies for a type of state aid that it would not receive otherwise. That state aid comes from a pool of money that all New Jersey residents paid into through state taxes; the only way to bring those funds back to Saddle Brook is through voter approval of the bond referendum.

After voters rejected the December 2022 bond referendum, the Board of Education and administration listened to the community’s financial and other concerns. We also knew that our district’s needs aren’t going to disappear without a long-term investment in infrastructure and safety and security. 

We worked together to pare back the proposal to prioritize fixing our current school buildings without asking residents to increase the tax rate. Saddle Brook needs to make critical infrastructure repairs, and a bond referendum would allow us to receive $4.2 million from the state to make them happen.  Only through a voter-approved bond referendum does Saddle Brook receive that type of state aid to help offset costs.

Community feedback helped guide what projects need to be focused on now – those that are critical to the infrastructure of our schools, and those which are eligible for the maximum amount of state aid. If voters approve the March 14 referendum, we’d be able to make necessary repairs at all our schools, and the state will cover 29% of the costs. 

The March 14 referendum does not include a middle school addition, a second turf field and lights, or the Media Center at Helen I. Smith School. These projects accounted for over $40 million in the last proposal. We’ll continue to have community conversations about those projects after the March election. 

Learn more about the projects included in this new proposal here.

• Every school in the district would undergo critical infrastructure repairs and upgrades, like partial roof replacements and window and door replacements. Some buildings will have ceiling and lighting upgrades in hallways and floor replacements, as well as bathroom renovations at the Middle/High School. 

• A new turf athletic field with lights would be added to the Middle/High School – which would provide a safer, more consistent playing area for student-athletes and community groups.

• Security upgrades would be made to main offices and entrances at our schools that currently don’t have modern security features.

• Renovations to convert unused space into four pre-K classrooms on the second floor of Washington Elementary School and the addition of an elevator for ADA compliance.

• Interior restoration of Coolidge School, including an elevator of ADA compliance, boiler replacement, and other upgrades that would make this space usable for offices.

Learn more details on the projects page.

After hearing feedback from the December vote, the Board of Education and administration re-evaluated the projects and determined the ones that are critical to the infrastructure of our schools and cannot be put off any longer. They also focused on selecting projects that qualify for the maximum amount of state aid. The March proposal does not include a middle school addition, a second turf field and lights, or the Media Center at Helen I. Smith School, which were part of the December bond referendum proposal and accounted for over $40 million.

The March 14 ballot includes one all-encompassing question. That question touches every school building in Saddle Brook. 

If approved, the referendum would enhance safety and security and address Americans with Disabilities (ADA) compliance in our schools. Certain safety and security measures are becoming standard in schools nationwide and are the top priority for parents, teachers, and school administrators.

The proposal includes a new security office at the existing Saddle Brook High School/Middle School, a redesigned security vestibule at Long Memorial Elementary School's main office, and new security windows in the main offices of Helen I. Smith Elementary School and Washington Elementary School. These types of security features - ballistic film glass, security boxes, buzzers, intercoms, and cameras - are becoming standard in modern schools.

An elevator would be added at Washington Elementary School to make it easier for parents, students, and staff to access the second floor, which is currently unused space that, if approved, would be reconfigured as pre-K classrooms. An elevator would also be added to Coolidge School to allow easier access for office staff and guests using the professional learning lab.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires the district “to make educational opportunities, extracurricular activities, and facilities open and accessible to all students.”  Aside from modifications and accommodations made to educational programs, this also includes installing grab bars in bathrooms, wheelchair accessibility, sinks and dryers in reach, accessible water fountains, and installing elevators.

To provide accessibility to all students, staff, and visitors, elevators will need to be installed at both Coolidge and Washington. Coolidge currently has only a handicapped ramp with chairlift and Washington has no elevator to the second floor.

If approved, maintenance projects will likely begin in the summer of 2024 and be completed that year or the following year, depending on the specific project. The field would likely be converted to turf after the fall 2023 athletic season.

A turf field would benefit nearly everyone in Saddle Brook: high school student-athletes, middle and high school students in physical education classes, younger children who participate in sports through the recreation department, and our community members who would have access for walking and other recreational activities. 

Saddle Brook School District is one of a dwindling number of schools in Bergen County without a turf field. For student-athletes at Saddle Brook, this means they practice on grass but often play on the turf fields of their opponents. Likewise, grass fields are often uneven surfaces that inevitably put our athletes at risk of injury. The fields can become excessively muddy, which can lead to postponements and cancellations of games and practices. Artificial fields provide a safer and more consistent playing surface, regardless of weather. Our current grass fields are also costly in the long run. From seeding and watering to aerating and fertilizing, the total hours of manpower needed to maintain grass fields is high. Turf will still require periodic maintenance, but not to the same extent in terms of time and money that grass fields require.

The field would be a source of pride for our community as we gather on Friday nights for football games, marching band and colorguard events performances, evening soccer games, community events, and many more opportunities to watch our children practice and compete on a quality.

If the bond referendum passes, the Department of Environmental Protection will review the district’s plans for the new turf field to make sure they are providing appropriate drainage for stormwater. The entire project including the field must have a zero increase in volume on the site. This will assure all surrounding properties that the stormwater from the site is not being displaced onto neighboring properties.

We partially replaced some roofs as part of the last bond referendum in 2014, but not all were replaced. Rather than a repair-as-we-go strategy to fix leaks and other issues, the bond referendum would fund partial roof replacements at the high school/middle school and all four elementary schools. This would help address leaks in the schools and would be a more long-term solution to our current strategy of temporarily fixing problems. By doing this work as part of the bond referendum, we also benefit from receiving state aid to help pay for the costs, which would not be the case if we funded this through our annual operating budget.

We currently have 34 students on the pre-Kindergarten waitlist. These are Saddle Brook children whose families would be willing to pay tuition for their children to attend the early education program but cannot attend because of the district’s lack of space. If the bond referendum passes, we would renovate four classrooms with bathrooms on the second floor of Washington Elementary School and be able to accept all these children into the district. This would also generate revenue for the district.

The scaled back bond referendum for March includes projects estimated to cost $14.4 million. This figure includes not just the work on the projects, but professional and permit fees to support it, as well as a cushion calculated by the district’s financial advisors to account for market fluctuations and contingencies. State aid would cover 29% of the estimated cost – more than $4.2 million - reducing the local share. 

If the community approves the referendum, Saddle Brook could make the necessary improvements to our schools without a tax increase.  In fact, the owner of a home assessed at Saddle Brook’s average ($407,800) will pay less toward school debt than they are currently paying.

Good planning and good timing! We have focused on selecting projects that receive the maximum amount of state aid and are timing the referendum with the old debt that will soon be paid off.

In 2023, the current owner of a home assessed at Saddle Brook’s average ($407,800) is paying an annual amount of $278 for school debt (not overall school taxes). The payback levels of that old debt will gradually decrease over the next seven years.

If the community approves the referendum, the new debt will cost that same homeowner an average of $197 per year. From 2024-2030, this is $81 a year LESS on average than what he or she is currently paying.  

Once the old debt is paid off, the same homeowner will continue to pay $121 per year on average.  From 2031-2043, this will be $157 LESS on average than what he or she is currently paying.

Our plan that was presented to the community for the December vote included some big-ticket items that didn’t qualify for as much state aid, like building a new middle school and a second turf field. That proposal would have resulted in a tax increase. But we heard Saddle Brook residents loud and clear, and cut those projects from this proposal.

Learn more on our State Aid page.

Saddle Brook Public Schools’ annual budget covers costs of day-to-day operations, salaries, supplies and regular maintenance, along with funding for our educational programs. Even if there was a way to find room in the budget to cover the costs of the proposed projects in our bond referendum, utilizing a bond referendum is a strategic approach that allows us to tap into a type of state aid that otherwise wouldn’t be available to Saddle Brook.

The district always strives to make fiscally responsible decisions through careful and strategic planning. We explore various state and federal funding opportunities when available.

The state of New Jersey recently announced that school districts can apply to receive funding for grant projects in Regular Operating Districts (ROD). The state is prioritizing school facilities projects that address critical operational building needs, including health and safety issues and program mandates. The state, however, will not cover the full amount of these projects and expects the school districts to finance a portion through their operating budgets. Those local funds cannot come from a bond referendum.

While we continue to consider the ROD grants, we consider a bond referendum the best fit to address Saddle Brook’s current needs. A bond referendum provides guaranteed state aid and allows us to complete all the necessary infrastructure projects, without having to choose which ones fit into the ROD grant criteria and funding guidelines. The state aid we get from a voter-approved bond referendum allows us to move faster to complete these projects and with more immediate and guaranteed state funding.

Assessed value, which is used to determine a homeowner's property taxes, is different than a home's market value. The market value of a home is typically a higher figure and is an estimate of how much a home could sell for in the current market. The assessed value in Saddle Brook is $407,800. Inputting your address into this website will give you your home’s assessment.  

The only money the district can spend on proposed projects is the amount approved by voters in the bond referendum. That money can be spent only on approved projects. If costs end up being lower than the approved estimate, that money is used to reduce debt, and thus, reduce taxes.  

The only money the district can spend on proposed projects is the amount approved by voters in the bond referendum. That money can be spent only on approved projects. Thoroughly researching projects and conservatively accounting for potential increases in costs provides the district with a comfortable margin. In the unlikely case that costs do exceed what voters approved, the district would have to adjust project plans. 

The State of New Jersey has a property tax rebate program for seniors and people with disabilities who meet income eligibility requirements. The program "freezes" the amount that eligible residents pay, even if the community's tax rate rises. More information about the Senior Tax Freeze program is here. 

Anyone registered to vote in Saddle Brook can participate in the March 14 bond referendum. Check your registration status here.

In-person voting will be available to registered voters on Tuesday, March 14 from 1 - 8 pm. Registered voters can go to their usual polling location. 

Check your vote by mail status by contacting the Office of the Bergen County Clerk at 201-336-7020 or email countyclerk@co.bergen.nj.us. If you are not signed up for vote by mail, you can submit an application by Tuesday, March 7. You will then receive a vote by mail ballot at your home; it must be postmarked for return by March 14.

You can track your ballot using the state’s voter portal. Setting up an account is free. This is the only way to reliably monitor the status of your ballot online. 

If you show up to your polling station on voting day and are told your ballot was mailed to you, or that you are not able to vote, ask for a provisional ballot. This ensures your ballot will be counted once all mailed ballots are double-checked and processed.