On Tuesday, Princeton voters approved the Board of Education’s $89.1 million bond referendum to fund renovations and updates for Princeton Public School (PPS) facilities.
The money raised through the bonds will be used to address issues related to Princeton’s expanding population and aging school infrastructure, such as Princeton High School’s (PHS) Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system.
Specifically, the referendum includes plans to expand Community Park Elementary, Princeton Middle School, and Littlebrook Elementary in addition to renovations for PHS.
“This outcome shows that voters understand that the continued success of Princeton Public Schools is vital to the community,” Interim Superintendent of Schools Dr. Kathie Foster wrote in a statement sent to The Daily Princetonian. “With these improvements, our district can prepare for growth and prioritize the neighborhood elementary schools and innovative educational experiences that our community values.”
The bonds’ impact on the average Princeton taxpayer will be an additional $532 per year, and they will be paid off over the course of 25 to 27 years. Multiple residents voiced concerns about the raised taxes to Princeton Perspectives, but the Board maintains that it was the best way to address their issues.
“We are confident that the referendum projects approved tonight are the appropriate 5-7 year solution to accommodate growth and maintain PPS programming,” the Board wrote in a statement to the ‘Prince.’ “As our Board president has noted, we do not operate in a vacuum and are sensitive to taxpayer concerns.”
The Board considered alternatives to the bond referendum –– including the town Council’s move to purchase the former site of the Westminster Choir College as the school district looks toward expansion –– but determined that the referendum was the best way to address the district’s issues.
“Our buildings have needs that must be addressed now. The district’s architect has concluded that it would take several years for the state Department of Education and Environmental Protection to review the Westminster Choir College property. That’s in addition to the time it would take for the municipality to finalize its planned acquisition,” the Board wrote in a statement to the ‘Prince.’
“The Board of Education and Council are in communication about working together toward goals, and the Board remains open to revisiting the Westminster campus as part of future long-term planning discussions, should growth continue,” the statement continued.
“Princeton is growing, and it means that the school system needs to be prepared for that, and that requires funding,“ Nate Howard ’25, a PHS alum, said in an interview with the ‘Prince.’ “I’ve seen that there are renovation needs that can’t be met without expanding the budget, and Princeton should be funding these important renovations so that students can have good learning environments.“
“Everyone knows that [the HVAC] was a big problem, and in lots of rooms, and not just in the high school,“ he continued. “I remember in middle school there was a blizzard, and the windows were open because the classroom was sweltering. [...] And in the high school, people will eat lunch on the floor in hallways or in classrooms, because there just isn’t a space for students to sit in the cafeteria.”
Akash Jim ’26, who also went to PHS, wrote in support of the referendum to Town Topics’s community forum page, especially noting the need to replace PHS’s HVAC system.
“If the PHS HVAC system doesn’t need replacement, I honestly don’t know what does,” he wrote.
The Board is also considering actions that will save taxpayers money, such as the use of solar power that will eventually reduce costs. Additionally, the state will provide $19.9 million in principal and interest payments for the project, and the district estimates that replacing the HVAC equipment will save “$150,000 to $200,000 annually on energy, maintenance and repair costs.”
With the approved vote, the bidding and design process will begin this spring, with construction currently slated to be completed by September 2028. Krista Galyon, strategic communications specialist for the Board, told the ‘Prince’ in a statement that “the plan is for [construction] to not disrupt the school year.”
More information about the referendum can be found here.
Charlie Roth is a senior News writer and editor emeritus focusing on local, state, and national politics.
Please send any corrections to corrections[at]dailyprincetonian.com.
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