The referendum vote which asked for voters to approve an approximately $34,000,000 public school overhaul package, has been approved by voters.
Approximately 63% votes yes, while about 36% voted no for the package.
Under 4,000 people voted in 43 districts.
[TLS]
Oh my where am I going to take the $$$ to pay another $1000 a year???
We better demand a review of all the contracts of these jobs.
Thank goodness common sense prevailed. The public school kids have suffered enough- under staffing, maxed out class sizes, no books, schools that desperately need maintenance, etc.- its about time they get their fair share.
you meant to say: approved by public school parent body, while rest of lakewood didn’t even know to vote. (not everyone reads TLS)
WHAT A SHAME. wATCH YOUR TAXES SKYROCKET
Oh, nuts !! There goes , watch out for our soon to be coming tax hike !!!
Oops
was this a hidden election ? Lakewood politics? does this mean our taxes will go up or just that it will make the balllot?>
so out of 200000 or so eligible voters around 1500 voted no. please don’t come back ranting and raving about your taxes going up by hundreds of dollars next year. today was the day to speak up or forever hold your peace. Now we need some accountability and transparency as to how $30000000 of our money (yes, even the state portion comes from our tax dollars) is being spent.
There were less then 4000 votes because no one new about it. This was done intentionally because those who supported it new another tax increase, weeks after an already massive increase, would not pass.
I will vote against every member of the Lakewood school board and the Township in every future election. I don’t know who they represent or who they are trying to help, but it is not the taxpayers.
Yes! I’m glad it was passed! Even though public schools should automatically get funding, there shouldn’t have to be choice whether to vote yes or no. The answer should be YES all the time for the sake of the children!
This is great! Thank you to all who voted in the affirmative.
Oh what a pity that means that our taxes will be going UP AGAIN
Say hello to higher taxes all you idiots that were too lazy to vote ! Under 4000 people what a joke. Don’t complain when your bussing is pulled which it will be very soon bc you couldn’t get off your chair or away from your shtender to go out and vote
I received a sample ballot , I thought all registered voters would receive one.
This was not a hidden election, I received the information by mail about a month prior to voting day.
All registered voters should have received a sample ballot a few weeks back. I think both my husband and I each got one 2 weeks ago.
How about all the people that voted for it pay for it…I think it is that simple. After all it is quite logical, since you feel so strong about this cause, pay for it. Perhaps take out a private loan and enjoy making monthly payments to fund a project that NJ cant afford.
The lack of advance publicity regarding voting locations is disturbing and unacceptable, irregardless of the outcome.
This is great news! My kids deserve to go to schools that have functioning AC systems, non leaky roofs and modern equipment. I am sorry your taxes (and mine) will go up, but the school system would not be in such dire straits if so much public money would not be funneled into the private school system. The thousands of students in the Lakewood Public Schools deserve a good education, in safe, modern buildings just like anyone else. Shame on everyone who is complaining about approving the funding for these critical repairs.
Can TLS please provide us with a spreadsheet showing the number of votes in each district?
all these cry babies on here. hasnt been a tax hike in how long?. its time to buck up people.
Our taxes when up about nine percent this year
This is great 19,000 a year is not enough for these kids they need more? #2 are you crazy? Of course your kid deserves good classrooms etc. but when 19,000 a year per kid is being spent, it’s time to call it quits, especially when the money is not accomplishing and most Lakewood public scholl children are failing. why should we spend more money on failure? we have to revamp the whole board of ed make it lean and mean and get the kids to succeed with less money wasted.
Everyone! You are misinformed. Did no one meet with you to explain the referendum? Property taxes will increase a minimum amount only. The bonds will pay for the necessary improvement of public schools. The State will help.Without the bonds there would have been a substantial increase for every property owner in Lakewood.
Oy… ;(
How much $ is going to private schools (source)??
How much taxes are paid in this town by people that don’t send to public school (and pay for and employ the people that don’t pay taxes and utilize the schools)???!!
I didn’t receive my sample ballot until yesterday…I live in a small religious development and none of my neighbors knew about the election. Pity the ballots needed to be cast only when most parents had their children at home. I would think that might have had something to do with the lack of private school voter turnout.
To Lakewood: That’s fine, then YOU pay for transporting your children to non public schools, and also for the new books they use every year, not like the 5 to 15 year old texts used in the public schools. Imagine how much our taxes would go down then!!
Does 34 million sound like an insane amount to fix the roofs and hvac?!? I would support this referendum if I actually thought our public schools would benefit in any tangible way!!
Sandy, who do you think pays for the bond? Property taxes.This vote was for $32 million dollars for 5 buildings. For that kind of money you can build 5 buildings.
The roofs were a total of $2.5 million. I have managed buildings that were much larger and replaced boilers. It can be done for under $120k each. That would bring the repairs necessary up to $3.1 million. That is a very manageable number. What are the other $29 million going towards?
@thelkwdscoop, why was rob benvenisti’s comment revised without notation? I answered him and now my post looks off..
never mind, i mixed it up with @good
@good How much $ is going to private schools (source)??
How much taxes are paid in this town by people that don’t send to public school (and pay for and employ the people that don’t pay taxes and utilize the schools)???!!
This is pathetic because the fact is, more than 50% of public school households dont pay ONE CENT of property taxes. & the previous posters are right: $32 Million is an insane amount of money to repair 5 bldgs.
The people who voted for it probably don’t pay taxes, or will be getting a portion of it.
Thank goodness I left Lakewood years ago.
Nitwit voters who approved it rewarded bad behavior by officials in charge.
If you are a Lakewood resident and a register voter, you should have received the sample ballot. If you meet the above criteria, stop complaining and call the election board.
For those who are concerned about their property taxes, including me, ask our township officials , why are schools in the industrial park.? Industry will help offset property taxes.
The building of new homes creates more services. More services increases your taxes.
Proudly, I voted yes on the referendum. No child in public or private schools will benefit, if the building ‘s structure ,
needs repair.
Congratulations to Lakewood voters. We showed we cared.
Why are people so quick to say that public school families do not pay taxes when indeed they do? I own a rental, and taxes are included in the rent. Those families are not living rent free. Many of those families live in poor conditions with landlords that refuse to fix anything in their rental and over charge the families. Roof leaks, lead, bed bugs, roaches, and the list goes on. The least these kids can have is a school that is in good condition with working heat and AC and no leaks every time it rains. Taxes are rising and will continue to due to other issues in the town. Stop blaming the public school children!
While the need is definitely there, I voted NO. The info the district provided was not transparent enough. Watch costs balloon or money go missing.
To concerned, you are right real estate taxes are included in rent, however when you have 3 families living in a single family home with 15 kids, or a family with 3 kids living in a one bedroom apartment, then they are not paying their share of taxes.
Additionally, rent is based on the market, landlords can’t raise rent 15% just because taxes went up 15%. So while indirectly they may pay some real estate taxes, they will not be paying for this tax increase like homeowners will, at least not in the short term.
As far as blaming the situation on the “other issues in town” the municipal portion of taxes in Lakewood have been stable, the increases are because of the school taxes.
If you are referring to the non public school expenses, the average non public school homeowner is paying in a lot more then they receive.
If you are referring to the state funding formula, I agree with you, however that is not an issue in the town, that is an issue in the state. Instead of dealing with the issue, the state deflected the blame on Lakewood and sent in a state monitor. The equivalent of applying a band aid to someone with a broken bone.
Well said
To say no one knew about this is unreal! EVERY registered voter in the Township got a sample ballot mailed by the County of Ocean in the week before the election just like EVERY election. Saying you didn’t know about it says three things about you, I don’t pay attention, I thought it was going down but it passed or I use a false address and the sample ballot went there
To just wondering,
Do not blame the state. Blame your BOE for slandering Mr. Lang and voting not to support his lawsuit.
You and the rest of this town put these people in office.