Proposed School Referendum In Livingston Scaled Down: See Tax Impact

LIVINGSTON, NJ — A proposed school referendum in Livingston has been scaled down after the district considered feedback from the community, administrators say.

During Tuesday's board of education meeting, Livingston school officials provided an update about the status of a proposed bond referendum, which would pay for construction and renovation projects across the district.

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One big change? The total cost would now come to roughly $189.6 million – down from $228 million in earlier talks.

The proposed work includes building new classrooms, adding a dedicated pre-K center, making athletic field improvements, performing building renovations and making security upgrades. Some goals of the project include addressing increased student enrollment, creating extra space for academic programs and consolidating district school buses.

Livingston school administrators are considering a potential date of Fall 2027 for putting the referendum before voters in an election.

District administrators emphasized that the proposal is still in the development stage and no referendum has been approved yet.

If voters eventually sign off, the referendum would come with a tax hike for homeowners: about $905 for an average home assessed at $738,359 (based on bonds issued for a 26-year term at a rate of 4.25 percent).

The tax increase under the previous proposal was between $1,015 to $1,130 annually for a home assessed at $729,272, depending on what type of bonds are issued.

"The updated proposals reflect our ongoing efforts to prioritize the district's needs, consider community input, and be thoughtful about the scope and cost of potential improvements," Superintendent Mark Stern said.

"We remain committed to clarity and will continue providing opportunities for residents to learn more and ask questions as the process moves forward," Stern said.

Livingston school administrators have launched an online resource page with information about the proposed referendum, which can be seen here.

The board didn't take any official action on the referendum at the Nov. 10 meeting. Watch video footage here, and view a slideshow presentation from the meeting here.

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