EDISON – Voters rejected a referendum to renovate existing school buildings and add a new elementary school on Tuesday. The $166.8 million plan would have increased taxes by about $120 for the average Edison homeowner.
Voters opposed the first question, which would have approved bonding $137 million for additions and improvements at 13 of the township’s 17 public schools, by a vote of 4,987 to 2,460. A second question, which would have approved bonding $29.8 million to build a new elementary school, was voted down by an even larger margin, 5,317 to 2,111.
District officials say that the school system desperately needs more classroom space and plan to look at alternative options next month.
Voter turnout was around 14 percent.
