Princeton Voters Approve $10.9 Million in School Facilities Projects

Voters in Princeton approved $10.9 million in proposed projects for the Princeton Public Schools today. The bond referendum for the facility renovation projects passed by more than two to one, with low voter turn out at the polls. The vote was 1,238 to 571.

A total of 1,809 voters cast ballots, with 58 people voting by mail. The turn out is just is under 9.5 percent of the 19,145 voters registered to vote in the two Princetons.

The $10.9 million bond will be paid back over 10 years. According to district officials, the average Princeton homeowner will pay an additional $150 a year in taxes for the projects.

The work is expected to be completed in 18 months, with some projects beginning as early as November. It has been 11 years since the last school bond referendum was voted on in Princeton. Voters approved more than $80 million in school construction projects in May of 2001.

At Princeton High, the track, turf and bleachers will be replaced and practice fields will be refurbished. Locker rooms will also be upgraded, energy efficient lighting will be installed in the gym, and a wheelchair accessible ramp will be added to the school. Classroom renovations will create more instructional space.

The old gym at John Witherspoon Middle School will be turned into a media center. New auditorium seating, sound and lighting systems will be added to the school, and air-conditioning will be added to second floor classrooms. Windows will be replaced at the middle school and high school, doors will be replaced in several schools, some roofs will be replaced, drainage will be improved on some school properties, and some paved areas will be reconditioned.