Shore Regional Asks Voters To Approve $51Million Bond On March 11

MONMOUTH BEACH, NJ — Shore Regional High School just launched this website: shoreregional.org/vote to inform voters about the upcoming March 11 bond referendum vote.

On March 11, Shore Regional will ask voters in four towns (Monmouth Beach, Oceanport, Sea Bright and West Long Branch) 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 by issuing bonds. If voters approve the referendum on March 11, the state of New Jersey will also contribute approximately $14 million in state aid to help fund the work.

Also, if residents approve the referendum, their property taxes will go up. How much by town is listed below.

Shore Regional will also host a Feb. 19 meeting for residents to ask the district questions. Know the Facts: Chat with Shore Regional, will take place on February 19 from 7 - 8:30 p.m. at Shore Regional High School (132 Monmouth Park Hwy, West Long Branch, NJ 07764).

Repayment of the debt will be spread out over the next 20 years, the district said.

The $51-million project is focused on program enhancements, building and system improvements, as well as upgrades to safety and security. The original Shore Regional High School building was built in the early 1960s and the school district said it will use the increased tax revenue to do the following:

• Improve and upgrade classrooms and facilities to better serve every student, repair critical infrastructure that is nearing or past the end of its useful life and boost safety and security.
• See the website for a full list of projects.

Shore Regional High School District services students across four municipalities: Monmouth Beach, Oceanport, Sea Bright and West Long Branch, where the school is located. The estimated average tax increase for the new school debt would be:

• Monmouth Beach: $26 per month for the owner of a home assessed at the borough average of $1,087,348.

• Oceanport: $22 per month for the owner of a home assessed at the borough average of $767,746.

• Sea Bright: $34 per month for the owner of a home assessed at the borough average of $1,027,419.

• West Long Branch: $29 per month for the owner of a home assessed at the borough average of $972,763.

• Check the funding page of the website to learn more.

Shore Regional teachers, administrators, board members, parents and members from the broader community collaborated in the district’s strategic planning process. The needs they identified in those meetings guided the projects proposed in the March 11 bond referendum.

Shore Regional superintendent Lisa English said:

“Our top priority is ensuring that every community member is informed about the vote and how the referendum plays a major role in our strategic approach to upgrade infrastructure and facilities to enrich the overall student experience. This website is the starting point for our efforts to inform the community of the proposal. It is the informational hub to find more details about the proposed projects, how they can vote and more.”