To the Editor:
As residents, we all want our children to receive what the New Jersey Constitution guarantees: a thorough and efficient education. That means providing safe buildings, reliable HVAC systems, and classrooms that meet real needs. It does not mean taking on debt for projects that are not clearly supported by the facts.
The district is asking taxpayers to approve 87 million dollars in new debt on top of a 100-million-dollar annual operating budget. Families in this community are already carrying some of the highest taxes in the nation. Any new debt should be limited to what is truly necessary, and the community will feel more confident if the district provides clear documentation of which projects are critical and which might be phased or handled in other ways.
I recognize that there is real capacity pressure at Bear Tavern Elementary with new housing coming in. As a parent myself, I would not want my child uprooted from their school. There are reasonable compromises, such as allowing current students to remain while new enrollments are redirected to balance class sizes. Other districts in New Jersey have taken this approach. It is not easy, but it may be a more responsible option than spending tens of millions on construction when overall enrollment is declining.
Maintenance is also an important part of the picture. If the buildings have been well maintained, the logs and records will demonstrate that. If not, the community deserves to know why issues were allowed to grow into major problems instead of being addressed earlier.
This community values education, and we want to support what is needed to ensure safe and effective schools. At the same time, we also value honesty, fairness, and responsible stewardship of tax dollars. By separating needs from wants and providing clear evidence for each, the district can build trust and demonstrate that it is asking only for what is truly essential.
Sincerely-
Dan Opdyke
Hopewell resident
