Frequently Asked Questions

A bond referendum is a special election that asks voters for permission to finance large-scale improvements through the sale of bonds. These funds are used to finance projects that do not fit into the District’s regular budget. 

New Jersey school districts pursue this financial path for two main reasons: to help spread the cost of the construction projects over time (like how a homeowner finances a new roof or an addition with a home equity loan) and to tap into a type of state aid only available to districts with approved bond proposals.

After years of declining enrollment, Pitman School District is now going through a period of enrollment growth. Over the last five years, the District has grown from 1,119 students in 2020-21 to 1,200 as of October 9, 2024. Pitman is a desirable place to live for families – especially because of its schools, and students from surrounding towns are choosing to attend Pitman through the District’s non-resident tuition-based program.

Investing in the infrastructure of Pitman Elementary and the Jr./Sr. High School will help ensure that these facilities remain community assets for decades to come and best serve a thriving student population. Well-maintained and comfortable schools contribute to the desirability of our schools and will continue to help attract non-resident students who pay tuition.

In 2023 and 2024, Pitman’s Board of Education moved to lease W.C.K. Walls and Kindle in response to significant funding cuts from the state and in preparation for a new, reduced funding amount awarded annually moving forward. The District’s decision helped balance the budget that year and create a plan for the future that positioned the District’s three remaining schools for success. The referendum continues to improve and maintain Pitman Elementary and the Jr./Sr. High School so that they can remain as community assets for the long-term. Investing in these schools, as well as Memorial, means that the community can remain proud of Pitman School District and the quality, personalized education that it provides to students for years to come.

Pitman’s public schools are cherished by the community and well maintained by the staff, but the buildings are old, ranging from 52 to 100+ years. Aging buildings and systems require regular upgrades to ensure they are running smoothly and efficiently. 

In recognition of this, Pitman School District and its team of architectural advisers first conducted a top-to-bottom review of its five buildings to determine the most pressing needs in 2021. Likewise, the District heard feedback about the needs of our schools through the Strategic Planning process. Many community members visited the schools and helped generate a lengthy project list for our three operating schools. The Board of Education then whittled the list down to select projects that are critical needs rather than wants and would qualify for the maximum amount of state aid to further reduce the tax impact. The Board was careful to consider projects that replace and fix aging systems and secure the future of the schools for the benefit of the next generation of Pitman students. 

Unlike other districts that go out for a referendum every few years, Pitman has not held a bond referendum since 2009. By timing this proposal with debt from that referendum retiring, the District can continue to invest in the infrastructure of the schools and keep the tax rate for school debt steadier over time.

The state of New Jersey allows school districts to hold bond referenda on specific dates in January, March, September, November (General Election), and December. Pitman’s Board of Education chose January.

The District received state approval from the Department of Education to proceed with the election in October. The next possible date for a referendum was Tuesday, January 28.

It was important to pursue that date to avoid delaying the construction projects outlined in the bond referendum.

Pitman’s Board of Education has included projects in the Jan. 28 bond referendum that would address the District’s most pressing needs. While both questions stand together to improve Pitman’s facilities, the first ballot question contains the highest priority needs.

Question 1 – EFFICIENT AND WELL-MAINTAINED SCHOOLS

Pitman Elementary 

• Replace century-old steam boilers with high-efficiency, gas-fired hydronic boilers
• Add new radiators, heaters, convectors and piping to provide a cohesive system for heating the schools
• Renovate 7 bathrooms to improve functionality and install age-appropriate fixtures

 Pitman Jr./Sr. High School

• Reconstruct the track to include new rubber surface, new asphalt paving, and new event striping and markings
• Fix underground drainage issues that are causing the area near the track and on the track to sink
• Fully reconstruct and repave the auditorium/event parking lot off Waverly Avenue, which will also address ongoing drainage issues
• Partially replace the roof to extend the life by at least another 30 years

Pitman’s Board of Education has included projects in the bond referendum that would address the District’s most pressing needs. Question 2 can only pass if Question 1 also passes.

Question 2 – COMFORTABLE AND SECURE SCHOOLS

Pitman Elementary 

• New gas-fired heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) units to provide year-round comfort in the entire school

Pitman Jr./Sr. High School

• Create a dedicated security vestibule for the secure screening of visitors before they enter the school.

Quality teaching and learning happens when students and teachers are in comfortable learning environments. In fact, researchers at the Harvard Kennedy School found that without air conditioning, each 1-degree Fahrenheit increase in school-year temperatures reduces the amount learned that year by 1%. 

This is one reason the Board of Education focused on selecting projects that receive the maximum amount of state aid and replace and repair our District’s aging infrastructure to keep students and teachers comfortable. New boilers and HVAC systems, as well as bathroom renovations, would ensure that students are attending schools they can be proud of and comfortable in.

The District anticipates that these infrastructure projects would need to be completed regardless of whether the referendum passes; by doing them through the referendum, the District accesses state aid and can keep funds from the operating budget even moreso focused on educational programming and student learning.

Boilers serve the important purpose of heating our buildings. The steam boiler plant at Pitman Elementary School is 80 years old and housed in a 102-year-old building. In the school, multiple different systems for heating, cooling, and ventilation have been pieced together over the years, but are neither cohesive nor efficient. 

Switching the entire system from steam to gas provides energy savings and a more modern approach to heat generation. It also solves the issues that the District has run into with getting parts that are scarce and costly for aging steam boilers. 

If both Question 1 and 2 pass, PES would see a conservative estimate of 15% reduction in the energy costs for the school. The energy savings would be beneficial to the district if the steam boilers were replaced with new high-efficiency, gas-fired hydronic boilers; new radiators, heaters, convectors, and piping were installed to create a cohesive system; and new gas-fired HVAC units replaced the window units that use more energy and don’t bring fresh air into the classrooms. 

If Question 1 passes, seven bathrooms at the elementary school would be renovated. New fixtures that are the appropriate height for young students would be added since many of the current fixtures were sized for high school students.

Approval of the second question would bring air conditioning to Pitman Elementary to provide year-round comfort. A rooftop air conditioning system would replace window units, which are currently in the classrooms. The window units have served their purpose, but they don't allow for proper ventilation and air exchange in classrooms, which are now requirements for schools to be code compliant. The District aims for optimal air quality to benefit the health and wellness of our school population.

The Jr./Sr. High School secured funding for air conditioning upgrades as part of a state grant, and this work would continue in support of the District’s goal to add air conditioning to more spaces in the District. 

The referendum would provide the funding for air conditioning at Pitman Elementary. Through an approved referendum, the District would receive a different type of state funding to cover 34% of the project costs to help pay for the PES air conditioning.

Approval of the first question would replace half of the Jr./Sr. High School’s roof, which is 20 years old and no longer under warranty. The District architects identified the section of roof that is most in need of repair; it would be replaced and would receive a 30-year warranty.

Solar panels currently on the replaced portion of the room would be permanently removed. They are near the end of their useful life and not worth the cost to reinstall them. 

At the Jr./Sr. High School, approval of the second question would create a dedicated security vestibule where visitors would be more securely screened before entering the building. Such a space has become standard across New Jersey school districts to give families, students and staff peace of mind knowing there is an added layer of security.

While not part of the referendum, the District still plans to use funds from the regular budget to install a security vestibule at PES - meaning that all Pitman schools would have these vestibules by 2026.

Anyone who visits the track or Jr./Sr. High School on a rainy day knows that there are significant drainage issues between the track and auditorium/event parking lot. This has been an ongoing problem for years and must be repaired. The drainage issues are causing the track to sink and causing significant cracking and deterioration in the parking lot. 

The District initially tried to secure a state grant to fix this problem but was not awarded the funding.

Question 1 of the referendum would permanently solve this issue by adding underground piping, repaving the auditorium/event parking lot off Waverly Avenue, and reconstructing the track to include new rubber surface, new asphalt paving, and new event striping and markings.

The District prioritized this project, knowing the track is used by Pitman residents and considered a community resource.

The district’s maintenance personnel and architectural advisors did a thorough review of the Jr./Sr. High School roof to identify the areas most in need of replacement. The section that was chosen to be replaced was the area causing the most leaks and issues for the maintenance staff. While the other half of the roof is the same age, it is not causing as many leaks and could remain as is for about five more years. By taking this approach, the district is keeping the cost of the referendum down for taxpayers and capturing state aid that can help offset the cost of a roof replacement. 

Pitman School District has a long tradition of serving Pitman children in their hometown, and we have no plans for that to change. The district is asking the community to consider investing in the schools so these buildings can remain community assets for decades to come. This is part of a long-term plan to keep Memorial Elementary School, Pitman Elementary, and the Jr./Sr. High School open to benefit many more generations of Pitman residents.  

For the Jr./Sr. High School in particular, we are focused on increasing enrollment through the non-resident tuition program and have developed Academies and other unique offerings that will attract and retain students from Pitman, as well as surrounding towns. Those efforts have resulted in increased enrollment over the last few years. Closing the Jr./Sr. High School is not an option as we instead work to strike a balance of providing quality education, maintaining a close-knit community, and keeping costs in check for taxpayers.

Prior district leadership and the Board of Education thoroughly reviewed and weighed options for updating our existing buildings or constructing a new school. Factors that were considered in those discussions include:

• Certain types of projects are eligible for state aid when approved through a bond referendum. The state’s formula provides more funding for fixing and updating existing school buildings, rather than new construction. By updating our existing buildings, the state will give Pitman $7.2 million to help offset the costs of the $21.3 million referendum.

• Even aside from state aid, building a new school would be far costlier than the $21.3 million referendum. While costs can vary greatly across the state, one district in Bergen County approved a $38 million referendum to construct a new school for grades 6-8. This price did not include the cost of demolition. 

• Through community feedback during the Strategic Planning process, we heard that these schools are beloved by Pitman residents. There is tremendous pride, nostalgia, and history in Pitman’s three school buildings that we would like to preserve for generations to come.

The projects included in Pitman’s referendum are estimated to cost a total of $21.3 million. That includes $14.2 million for Question 1 and $7 million for Question 2.

This figure includes not only the work on the projects, but also professional and permit fees to support it, as well as a cushion calculated by the District’s financial advisors to account for market fluctuations and contingencies.

When selecting projects for the referendum, the Board of Education chose projects that qualify for the maximum amount of state aid. That state aid is collected from taxpayers statewide and distributed to schools that receive approval through a bond referendum; the only way to bring those funds back to Pitman is through voter approval of the bond referendum.  

If voters approve the referendum, this type of state aid would contribute $4.8 million to Question 1 and $2.4 million to Question 2 for a total of $7.2 million, or about 34% of the project costs. This is a "use it or lose it" opportunity for our schools and taxpayers, and the state has already provided us the approval to use it, but only if the community approves the bond proposal on the ballot in January.

Question 1 and Question 2 impact property taxes differently. 

If only Question 1 passes, the owner of a home assessed at Pitman’s average of $238,209 would pay an estimated $18 per month. Pitman homeowners are currently paying approximately $11 per month for school debt from a previous referendum. This number will gradually fall next year. Those payments will end in 2027, around the time that the new debt payments would begin if voters approve the referendum. The difference between the existing debt and the new debt is approximately $7 per month. This is referred to as net tax impact.

If Question 1 and 2 pass, the owner of a home assessed at Pitman’s average of $238,209 would pay an estimated $26 per month. Since Pitman homeowners are almost done paying debt from a previous referendum, the difference between the existing debt and the new debt would be approximately $15 per month. Again, this is referred to as net tax impact.

Question 2 can only go into effect if Question 1 is also approved by voters. The state funding available is also different with each question, and we will access more state funding if both questions are approved.

The owner of a home assessed at Pitman’s average of $238,209 will pay $11 per month in 2025 for school debt from two previous bonds. The payments for one bond will end this year, and the payments for the second bond will end the following year. Because of this debt gradually being paid off, the owner of that same home will see a decrease to $8 per month in the school debt portion of their tax bills in 2026.

If the referendum doesn’t pass, that school debt will become $0 in 2027. If the referendum passes, the difference between what residents are currently paying for school debt and what they will pay in the future is $15 per month.

Assessed value, which is used to determine a homeowner's property taxes, is different than a home's market value. The market value of a home is typically a higher figure and is an estimate of how much a home could sell for in the current market. The average assessed value of a home in Pitman is $238,209. Inputting your address into this website will give you your own home’s assessed value.

Pitman residents are currently paying for school debt from a previous referendum. The current payments will end in 2026, before the new payments would begin in 2027 if voters approve the referendum. This means that the previous debt would be replaced by slightly higher new debt; the difference is referred to as net tax impact. 

Another way to think about net tax impact is through a scenario in which a family is paying down a car loan. When the family nears the end of the car payments, they may need to buy a new car. Even though the new car payment is larger, the overall change in their budget might feel minimal since they were already accustomed to making smaller car payments. In both cases, the key is planning for the transition rather than starting from zero.

The cost of the projects in Pitman would be spread over 20 years among everyone who pays property taxes in Pitman.

Pitman School District’s annual budget covers costs of day-to-day operations, salaries, supplies and regular maintenance, along with funding for our educational programs. Amid state funding cuts, Pitman’s budget has increasingly been tightened. This was a contributing factor to the District deciding to lease two of the five school buildings to balance the budget and avoid further cuts.

Even if there was a way to find room in the budget to cover the costs of some of the proposed projects in our bond referendum, utilizing a bond referendum is a strategic approach that allows us to tap into 34% state aid that otherwise wouldn’t be available to us.  Projects completed outside of the referendum could cost more due to costly repair parts for antiquated systems and would likely take longer to accomplish, increasing the likelihood that the systems will break and cost the District more.

Furthermore, funding facilities projects through bond borrowing rather than the regular operating budget both takes advantage of state aid and frees up the general operating budget for other important investments that directly impact our educational programs.

If voters approve the bond referendum, the District can only spend that money on projects outlined in the proposal. If actual costs are lower than what’s estimated, the District will use the money to reduce the debt and therefore reduce taxes.  

The District cannot spend more than the amount of money approved by voters in a bond referendum. The District, in partnership with financial consultants and its architect, thoroughly researched the proposed projects and their associated costs and included a contingency amount in the estimated total. That cushion does take into account current spikes in materials costs, gas prices and interest rates. If actual costs exceed what voters approved, plans will need to be adjusted to fit the budget.

Question 1 includes the replacement of the HVAC systems at Pitman Elementary that are not only more energy and fuel efficient, but also create the framework needed to add air conditioning to the school. 

Question 2 includes the addition of air conditioning to Pitman Elementary. Completing the projects in Question 2 is contingent on voter approval of Question 1, because it is only feasible to move forward with the air conditioning addition if the HVAC systems are first upgraded. 

Therefore, the proposed projects in Question 2 can only be completed if Question 1 passes – even if Question 2 gets voter approval. The two questions together also stand to maximize the amount of state aid the district would receive. That’s $7.2 million in state aid to help cover a portion of the project costs if both questions pass. 

Bonds do not have a specific interest rate the same way someone might secure a loan before purchasing a car or house. They are sold for the best bid on the public bond market. Because of that, the District won’t know the precise interest rate until it receives public permission to sell the bonds. Pitman School District works with advisers who closely watch the bond market to determine an appropriate estimate of total costs.  

Every Pitman resident benefits from having strong public schools in town, regardless of whether they have children attending the schools. Public schools are a primary consideration for people when looking for a place to live, and home market values in Pitman and every town directly reflect the quality of the local public schools.

Additionally, these upgrades and repairs in the referendum come at a reduced cost due to the added benefit of state aid. Otherwise, these much-needed projects would fall entirely on local tax bills. 

Many residents also use Pitman School District facilities regularly. Projects like the track renovation, drainage repairs, air conditioning, and event/auditorium parking lot repaving stand to benefit everyone who uses these facilities.

The State of New Jersey has a current program for property tax relief and a new version in development.

• Known as the "Senior Freeze," the current program offers property tax reimbursements for senior citizens and people with disabilities who qualify. More information is available on the Senior Freeze webpage or by calling (800) 882-6597. 

A second plan in development is called the Stay NJ Property Tax Credit Program. The plan is due to the Legislature by May 30, 2024, with a program start date of Jan. 1, 2026. Other current programs are the NJ $250 Senior Citizen Property Tax Deduction and the Affordable New Jersey Communities for Homeowners and Renters (ANCHOR).

If approved by voters, the district would advertise the projects for bid and award contracts to the lowest qualified bidders, as is required by law. To be eligible, bidding contractors must be registered with the state’s Department of Labor and Workforce Development – Division of Wage and Hour Compliance.  This process protects the taxpayers by ensuring they are getting the best possible deal for the referendum projects.

When forming the estimated project costs, the architect shared his knowledge of similar projects in similar geographic areas. The numbers are not final, and it is the district’s goal and expectation that the actual costs will be lower. If the actual costs end up being lower, funds will be used to pay down the principal faster.

Project estimates for a school bond proposal often differ from project estimates for privately funded work because:   

• Estimated project costs include more than construction; the budget also accounts for professional fees and licenses required for the construction and inspection process.  
• The district must pay prevailing union wages for labor.    
• The state also requires the budget to include a contingency amount for possible increases in costs when construction begins 1-½ to 2 years into the future.  
• Smaller projects proportionally cost more, just as it costs more per unit for one grocery item than to buy in bulk. Contractors still have to secure insurance and pay for supervision on the project site and can’t realize the savings that comes with buying supplies in bulk. 

No actual quotes, but rather estimates, have been received for the proposed projects; the district can only receive quotes after an approved referendum. Only then will the district invest in asking consultants to create detailed design specifications that are needed for the bidding process. The district will receive true quotes through a competitive process that awards work to the lowest responsible bidder.

All registered voters in Pitman can participate in the January 28 bond referendum. If you are not registered to vote, you must do so by January 7. If you registered for another election (such as president or governor), and your name and address have not changed, your registration should be valid for this referendum. Check your voter registration status to be sure.
 

Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, January 28. The polling location will be at Pitman United Methodist Church.

Check your Vote By Mail status by contacting the Gloucester County Clerk’s office. Any New Jerseyans who previously voted by mail in a prior election may have opted to automatically receive a Vote by Mail ballot for future elections, but double checking with the County Clerk is highly recommended.  

If you are not registered for Vote By Mail, you can send your application to the County Clerk’s Office no later than January 21. You can also receive a ballot in person by going to the County Clerk’s Office at 550 Grove Road, West Deptford up until 3 p.m. on January 27. 

Please remember to mail your ballot by the day of the election. All mailed ballots must be postmarked by January 28 or delivered to a drop box or turned in at the County Clerk’s office.

Specific rules protect the ability to vote, but sometimes human error or paperwork problems get in the way. A provisional ballot preserves the right to vote until those issues can be worked out. For example, someone who is sent a Vote By Mail ballot weeks before the referendum might overlook it, then come to an in-person poll and try to vote. That person can complete a paper, provisional ballot that is held separately by poll leaders until it can be confirmed that the person is eligible to vote and did not submit a Vote By Mail ballot. If you go to your polling place and are turned away for any reason, ask for a provisional ballot.