BOARD OF EDUCATION REFERENDUM - VOTE YES

December 9, 2014 is a RED LETTER DAY in Fort Lee History. It is an opportunity for the citizens of Fort Lee to come together to show that they cares about the future of Fort Lee as a Community and specifically about the future of our children!

The Voting Booths will be open for Fort Lee Citizens to approve the Board of Education Referendum. This project will upgrade the Lewis F. Cole Middle School in order to accommodate the overcrowding situation in Fort Lee schools. Classrooms in all Fort Lee schools are currently filled to capacity, with 30 students per classroom. The recommended number of students in order for a teacher to provide excellence in education would be 19 students per class. 23 students should be the maximum number. Our teachers and our students are surviving under conditions that should not be tolerated by any community and it is time for Fort Lee to step up and take care of our children’s future. This situation has gone on for entirely too long and NOW is the time to make a difference!

There are four pictures attached to this blog. Ref1 is a graph of the overcrowding situation and projected growth. Ref 2 shows the projected cost of the project, i.e. $ 49,840,000. However, with debt service, the actual cost to the community will be $ 41,640,000. Ref 3 shows a list of improvements to the Middle School that is incorporated into this project. Finally, Ref 4 shows the tax impact to each community member, dependent on the value of one’s property. Most importantly, each citizen must remember that the increase in Property Values with a quality school system will more than offset any minimal tax impact that is projected! There are polls showing that the #1 reason that families with children move to a community is the quality of the school system!

The Fort Lee Board of Education is promoting this referendum because our children need a quality school system. Mayor Sokolich and the Borough Council members are supporting this project 100%. Now we need the CITIZENS of FORT LEE to come out to support this REFERENDUM. Please vote YES on Tuesday. SUPPORT OUR CHILDREN!