These NJ school districts want $300M, meaning higher taxes for homeowners
💰 Three NJ school districts want voters to approve more than $300 million in new borrowing.
🏠 Homeowners could see property taxes rise by hundreds of dollars a year if the referendums pass.
🗳️ Voters will decide the questions on Sept. 15.
Three New Jersey school districts are asking voters to approve more than $300 million in borrowing, which would mean another property tax increase for homeowners.
All three referendums are scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026. One is receiving millions more in state aid, another avoided a tax increase this year, and a third is losing state funding.
If voters approve the referendums, homeowners in each community would see their property tax bills rise again. The size of the increase depends on where they live and which projects voters approve.
It comes as New Jersey homeowners continue to shoulder some of the nation's highest property taxes.
Cinnaminson homeowners could pay up to $46 more each month
In the latest budget, school taxes rose another 4% for Cinnaminson residents who already pay 67% of their $8,676 property tax bill to schools.
Cinnaminson will see a 6% bump in state aid this upcoming school year, an increase of $1.2 million. That brings the district's total state aid to $21.6 million, about where it was two years ago before a previous cut. The school district in Burlington County has a total budget of $82 million.
Now, school officials are asking taxpayers to fund tens of millions in new projects through two referendum questions.
The first $58 million question looks to build a new gym for New Albany Elementary, upgrade the parking lots, renovate the middle school cafeteria, build a new eSports room, and make other standard improvements. It would raise monthly taxes by $33 for the average home.
The second $18 million question would build a new athletic stadium for the high school and a new gym for Eleanor Rush Elementary School. If approved, it would tack on another $13 a month.
Roselle avoided a tax hike. Now voters could face a $64 monthly increase
Roselle is also receiving more state aid this year, but district officials say they need local taxpayers to finance a much larger project.
Roselle schools have a 6% increase in state aid lined up for the 2026-2027 school year. It's the same percentage as Cinnaminson, though the total increase will be larger at $3 million because the district has a bigger budget for its 3,200 students. It helped the district avoid a tax hike this year.
That amount is dwarfed by the $80 million new school Roselle officials want to build on Chandler Ave. It would serve students in PreK through second grade, solving an expensive and related problem: Roselle has no more space and spends $500,000 every year to rent classrooms in another building.
State aid only covers $5 million of the new school's cost. The approval seeks a $60 tax bump monthly for the average Roselle home assessed at $123,000. A second referendum question looks to add another $4 monthly tab to fund more than $7 million in districtwide improvements.
Morris seeks the biggest referendum after losing state aid
The Morris School District is seeking the largest of the three referendums at $158.4 million. Even with $48 million from the state, taxpayers would still be burdened with a local share of $112 million.
That's around $38 to $41 a month in new taxes for the average Morris Township and Morristown home, or more than $450 a year. It's the district's first bond referendum in 30 years.
In April, the district approved a 3.5% tax levy increase to offset losses in state aid. This upcoming school year, Morris can expect a slight 0.21% decline in state aid, a $21,795 decrease. That's about the cost of educating a single student. The district serves more than 5,700 students at its 10 schools.
"While our schools are well-maintained, the time has come to replace aging systems and expand instructional space," Morris schools Superintendent Anne Mucci said.
Projects include a larger cafeteria and new pool at Morristown High School, and a renovated auditorium at Frelinghuysen Middle School. Improvements at several schools include new classrooms and infrastructure improvements such as new roofing, windows, HVAC upgrades, and better bathrooms.
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NJ towns paying the most taxes for public schools
Gallery Credit: New Jersey 101.5
Share of your tax bill going to schools vs. municipality
Gallery Credit: New Jersey 101.5
