Eligible Seniors May See No Tax Impact In Lawrence Schools Referendum, Officials Say

LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ — Residents in Lawrence Township will head to the polls on March 11 to vote on a $94.9 million bond referendum put forward by the school district.

The total cost of the project is $98.9 million, with $4 million in capital reserve used as a down payment. The total amount put to bond would be $94.9 million.

If the referendum is approved, the owner of an average assessed home in Lawrence would see an estimated tax impact of about $27 per month, district officials said.

District officials on Friday said that eligible senior citizens will have no impact on their property taxes if they qualify for the state's Senior Freeze Program.

The program, administered by the New Jersey Division of Taxation, reimburses eligible homeowners for property tax increases by locking in the taxable value of their homes.

To qualify, residents must be 65 or older, own their home, and have had a 2024 income of $169,268 or less.

Those eligible will be reimbursed for any property tax increases resulting from the referendum.

More information on the Senior Freeze Program is available at www.nj.gov/treasury.

The special election will determine funding for improvements across the school district.

These enhancements include new community-accessible spaces at the middle school, featuring ADA-compliant parking, restrooms, and event spaces that can be used without entering the main school building.

The upgrades aim to benefit not just students, but also the broader community, including seniors who attend school events or participate in local programs.

To provide residents with more information on the bond referendum, the Lawrence Township Board of Education will host an information session.

The event will be a virtual community referendum information forum held on Thursday, Feb. 26 on Google Meet. Visit www.ltps.org/referendum for the link to join that meeting.

The virtual forum will run from 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. Residents can submit questions about the referendum that will be answered in real time.

A video recording of the forum will be available on the district website following the meeting’s conclusion.

During the meetings, community members will hear from district representatives who can explain firsthand the benefits of bond funding.

You can find more details on the referendum by clicking here.

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