$51M Bond Vote Tuesday For Towns That Send To Shore Regional

WEST LONG BRANCH, NJ — Here is a reminder that this Tuesday, residents in Monmouth Beach, Oceanport, Sea Bright and West Long Branch will be asked if they approve raising taxes to pay for a series of big improvements to Shore Regional High School.

Shore Regional is asking voters to approve passing a $51-million bond (borrowing the money) to make improvements to the high school building and facilities. (School districts borrow money to fund capital projects such as this one by issuing bonds.)

If voters approve the referendum Tuesday, the state of New Jersey will also contribute approximately $14 million in state aid to help fund the work.

The estimated average tax increase by town is:

• Monmouth Beach: $26 more per month in taxes for the average home in town assessed at $1 million

• Oceanport: $22 more per month in taxes for average home assessed at $767,746.

• Sea Bright: $34 per month more in taxes for average home assessed at $1 million.

• West Long Branch: $29 more per month for average home assessed at $972,763.

The original Shore Regional High School building was built in the early 1960s, and the school district said it will spend the $51-million bond on:

• Unspecified upgrades to building safety and security.
• Building a new cafeteria
• Auditorium stage and gym floor replacement, bleacher replacement and building a music/choir room addition to provide an updated and modern space for students, as well as appropriate storage space
• Building an auxiliary gym addition to house physical education classes, community events and extracurriculars
• Upgrades to the science lab, STEAM lab, cafeteria and media center to better reflect today's collaborative learning environments.
• Track and tennis courts resurfacing and a new multi-sport turf field to provide space for student programming and extracurricular activities
• Building a new transportation office next to the turf field with concession stand and restrooms to provide the community with a better experience.

This website from Shore Regional lists all the projects that will be funded, and has renderings of what the new cafeteria, the new auxiliary gym, the new STEAM lab and the new media center will look like: https://sites.google.com/vote....

Shore Regional High School pulls students from four towns: Monmouth Beach, Oceanport, Sea Bright and West Long Branch, where the school is located.

Hear Shore Regional school board vice president Kara Burke-Manna talk about why she's voting "yes" on Tuesday to fund the upgrades:

And hear from Shore Regional High School Principal Vincent DalliCardillo: "Right now, our wrestlers practice in the cafeteria," he said.

Prior: Shore Regional Asks Voters To Approve $51Million Bond On March 11 (Feb. 14)

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