Stoughton High School Special Election: What You Need to Know

STOUGHTON, MA - Tuesday, Stoughton will hold a special election to decide if the town will fund the construction of a new high school.

If voters approve the question, the town will go ahead with construction. If not, the project is effectively killed.

Here what you need to know about Tuesday's vote:

The Question

Here is how the question will appear on the ballot:

Shall the Town of Stoughton be allowed to exempt the provisions of Proposition two-and-one-half, so called, the amounts required to pay for the bonds issued in order to construct a new high school, district office and related site development on Town-owned property located at 232 Pearl Street in Stoughton to replace the existing high school, district office, and related site developement located on the same site.

How Much Will it Cost?

According to the High School Building Project's website, the school will cost about $123.5 million, with the town covering $71.28 million. The remaining $52.25 will be covered by the Massachusetts School Building Authority.

How Will the Town Pay for it?

If voters choose to fund the project, the town will use a debt exclusion to pay for the school. A debt exclusion is a temporary tax increase often used to fund one-time projects. Once the school is paid off, the tax is removed.

For a 20-year bond, the maximum tax impact for a home valued at $200,000 is $252 a year. For a $400,000 home, it's $504.

For more information, head over to the High School Building Project's Website.

Polling Locations

The polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Here’s a list of polling locations.

• PRECINCT 1 - Dawe Elementary School, 131 Pine St.
• PRECINCT 2 - Jones Early Childhood Center - 137 Walnut St.
• PRECINCT 3 - South Elementary School, 171 Ash St.
• PRECINCT 4 - Gibbons Elementary School, 235 Morton St.
• PRECINCT 5 - Gibbons Elementary School, 235 Morton St.
• PRECINCT 6 - Hansen Elementary School, 1800 Central Street
• PRECINCT 7 - West Elementary School, 1322 Central Street
• PRECINCT 8 - O’Donnell Middle School, 211 Cushing Street