Voters OK $20M School Repairs Referendum

Cranford voters approved a $20 million school repairs referendum today during the first school district special election in town history.

The unofficial tally comes to 1,197 votes for the referendum and 839 against it.

"This is great," said Board of Education Business Administrator Robert Carfagno. "Obviously we're thrilled."

The referendum asked voters to approve a $20 million school district-wide roof, heating and ventilation improvement project that would cost Cranford taxpayers almost $12 million in school bonds. A state grant is slated to pick up the remaining $8 million.

"Now we have to formally accept the $8 million grant, which we'll do at Monday night's meeting, and then we'll go out and start putting together bid packages," said Carfagno. "We want to start in the summer, so we need to put together a time table soon."

This marked the first special school election in Cranford. Previous referendums were included in regular Board of Education elections. School officials called for a special election this time around because  they found it reasonable to be in a position to accept, if the referendum passed, the state's $8 million grant sooner rather than later.

Voter turnout, however, remained in line with regular Board of Education elections at around 13 percent of voters.

Some Cranford residents spoke out against the referendum shortly before the election.

"This referendum effectively sets a new, higher baseline for taxes," said Cranford resident Tom Valerio in a letter to Cranford Patch. "For many, this higher level of taxes will be for the rest of your lives, or as long as you live or can afford to live in Cranford.  It is all together too much."

Others were concerned about the existing structure in state-to-town funding.

"As currently framed, the funding method has the state of New Jersey calling the shots and Cranford meekly applying for their grants and following the state's lead," said Cranford resident John McCann in a letter to Cranford Patch.

School officials reached out to residents about the referendum by hosting multiple meetings, presentations, posting fact sheets on the district Web site, using the Honeywell Systems automated calling service, and e-mailing staff, teachers and parents.

Check Cranford Patch for more information on this repairs project as it develops.