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Becton Regional High School serves students from East Rutherford, Carlstadt, and Maywood. Residents of East Rutherford and Carlstadt will vote on the proposed bond on March 12.
Maywood, who in 2020 for the first time sent 340 of its students to BRHS, will not be voting but will contribute financially through its tuition contract if the bond is approved.
The new BRHS proposal is comprised of three parts, and the first part of which is nearly half the cost of the first referendum, Superintendent Dr. Dario Sforza said.
"We realize that the $49.2 million still may have been difficult for some tax payers, so we are giving voters a three question option that further breaks down the total into 3 main categories," Sforza said.
Those are a $29 million dollar option, a $12 and $7 million dollar option — the latter two of which are contingent on the first question.
Here's the breakdown of the bond:
$29.5 million for a 47,000-square-foot space for STEM, vocational, and special education (cut from 90,000 square feet in first 2022 referendum).
- $12.8 million toward the purchasing of a new property to build a new gym and renovation of the existing gym
- $7 million to expand the vocational and trades program space with renovations to be made to BRHS' annex building.
Cuts in square footage allowed for a new parking lot and extra spaces, another aspect requested by voters, the superintendent said. The cuts also "dramatically" reduce non-referendum costs such as staffing and additional resources, which Sforza says will be absorbed through the "exponential savings" over time, in sending special education students out-of-district.
"Between Becton (ER & Carlstadt) and Maywood, out-of-district high school student costs only, we are collectively spending well over $6 million per year. A large portion of that can come back to district and help maintain our historically low taxes in our communities," he said.
But what about the taxes? The impact would begin at $12 a month for Question 1, and max out at $21 a month, should voters select all three questions, the superintendent explained.
Four informational sessions on the bond vote will be held in February.
Sforza says community surveys were integral in coming up with the new referendum.
"We surveyed parents who overwhelmingly selected a strong focus on STEM, hands on vocational and trades and followed by an understanding of giving back to our special education population," he said. "The special education component would save a large portion of the nearly 6 million/year that Maywood and Becton collectively spend on the runaway train of out-of-district special education and transportation costs.
"This is a solution to finally stop that bleed, keep taxes at the 2% tax levy and low, and give our neediest population a chance to be educated with their hometown community."
Middle schoolers surveyed also showed an "overwhelming" selection of STEM, Vocational and Technical programs as their top choices, Sforza said, noting stakeholder meetings were positive and productive.
"The room's collective brilliance was evident, and the ideas, suggestions, and contributions from everyone pushed us to create this plan, while vowing to keep everyone's political opinions out of it and any misleading rumors, in order to shape a brighter future for Becton Regional," he said.
"Building upon everyone's recommendations, suggestions, and insights, and acknowledging the ongoing importance of everyone, as community leaders, speaking and working as a unified front, we can now present a design and realistic and sensible path forward based on the overall consensus of our community.
"It’s important to note that current K-8 parents, who will see long term benefits of this project for their children and generations of children to come, must want this more than we do for their children's future high school in order for it to be successful.
"Which means they must come out and vote on March 12."
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