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WD voters pass school bond referendum!
WD voters pass school bond referendum!
Though the count is unofficial, results indicate that voters have approved the West Deptford School District proposal to make improvements to every school and build a new preschool to serve West Deptford’s fastest growing student population.
The tally as of Tuesday night included 1,655 votes in favor and 1,125 opposed. Totals will be updated over the next few days as officials count mail-in and verify provisional ballots. Updates will be posted on this website.
On behalf of the district administration and Board of Education, we thank West Deptford residents for the time they put into considering the proposal and participating in the voting process. We look forward to the improvements that will benefit our students and our community!
The Virtual Community Forum was February 25
Watch the recording here.
Looking Toward the Future
Looking Toward the Future
West Deptford School District has a proud history of providing quality education and fostering a supportive, enriching environment for all our students. Our aging infrastructure needs significant improvements to continue meeting these high standards.
The Board of Education worked diligently to develop a bond proposal to meet WD's needs for modern instruction and budget efficiencies. On Tuesday, March 11, the public will vote on a $90 million proposal that would improve every single school. With voter approval, WD would gain $23.8 million in state aid – funding the district does not get if the same projects were completed through the regular operating budget.
A bond referendum is a vote that asks permission to borrow money through the sale of bonds. Property taxes would buy back the bonds over time. A public vote like this is the way a school district borrows money, like a homeowner might borrow money to build an addition or renovate a kitchen.
Top 5 Things to Know
Old heating/cooling systems are inefficient and continually need repairs. Upgrades proposed in all schools would ease the strain on the budget.
Improvements made with the regular operating budget lean heavily on local property taxes. When made with bond funding, most improvements are eligible for state financial aid.
Gloucester County’s ongoing effort to reassess property values is not designed to raise more property tax revenue, but to even out differences in the towns. No matter how properties are reassessed, WD could only collect the amount in taxes necessary to make the annual bond payment. A higher tax base would require a lower tax rate to meet the required payment amount.
All taxpayers contribute to the State of NJ’s budget that allocates funds to districts with voter-approved referenda. For West Deptford, that state aid is worth $23.8 million – like receiving a 26% off coupon.
Renovations to performing arts areas, science labs, locker rooms and communications systems are often pushed out of the operating budget. Bond funding would make those renovations happen and capture state aid to pay a share.
Bonds would bring $23.8 M in State Aid
Bonds would bring $23.8 M in State Aid
We diligently maintain our buildings, but all WD schools need updates. At 60+ years old, many rely on infrastructure that no longer operates efficiently.
Using funds from the annual budget for these big-ticket repairs and upgrades reduces the resources available for instruction.
Bond funding allows districts to address needs that the annual operating budget cannot support.
And those aren't the only reasons ...
Voter approval of bond funding would unlock $23.8 million in state aid toward project costs that are eligible for a special state program. That means local taxes would not pay the entire cost.
Voter approval would bring money everyone already pays to the state back to our community. It is only available through a referendum.
WD has suffered through significant state funding cuts. Those forced a shift from proactive to more costly reactive maintenance.
Completing projects with the help of state aid would allow the district to move away from a repair-as-we-go approach to a more sustainable and fiscally responsible, proactive strategy.
IF VOTERS APPROVE
IF VOTERS APPROVE
With voter approval on March 11, WD would work with professional consultants to arrange financing, advance toward more detailed plans, and begin the competitive bidding process that is designed to secure the lowest cost for the proposed improvements.
Work would begin in the summer of 2026 with planned completion of all projects by fall 2028.
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