NORTH ARLINGTON — School officials will move forward with a $10 million December referendum despite voters’ rejecting three Election Day spending proposals to hire school staff, faculty and security officers.
The three questions would have accounted for $3.3 million in permanent spending, unlike the 20-year bond up for a vote Dec. 10.
Superintendent Stephen Yurchak said he is confident the referendum measure will pass because the tax hit “would be significantly less than what was … presented to the community during November’s election.”
If approved by voters, the proposal is expected to increase taxes by $114 per year on homes assessed at the borough average of $343,000. The rejected staff measures would have added $691.37 to the tax bill.
Proposal 1, which asked for an additional $1.8 million to hire more staff, was rejected by 2,014 to 931 votes.
Proposal 2 sought to raise an additional $709,305 in taxes to hire security personnel and was rejected by 2,044 to 872.
Proposal 3, which asked for an additional $780,290 in taxes to establish a full-day pre-K program, was rejected by 2,104 to 814.
The referendum measure will fund district-wide upgrades to school buildings, including the former Queen of Peace High School, which will be repaired and serve as a new elementary and middle school.
The district purchased Queen of Peace from the Archdiocese of Newark in September, and it is being brought up to code using $3.4 million from an existing capital improvement fund.
