Capital Project and Reserve Fund propositions defeated

Posted: December 16, 2008

Port Jervis City School District residents voted down propositions to use state EXCEL Aid to fund a $5.55 million building renovation project and to establish a 10-year capital reserve fund to offset the costs of a future school building.

Proposition 1: The proposed $5.55 million building renovation project was narrowly defeated by 31 votes. The official tally was 519 no votes; 488 yes votes. The project would have allowed the district to upgrade emergency exit lighting, replace building ventilators, improve school security by adding secure vestibule entrances; and replace leaky classroom windows with ones that meet current safety and energy efficiency standards.

Proposition 2: Also defeated was the proposition to establish a new capital reserve fund to offset the costs of a future school building. The results were 610 no votes; 392 yes votes. The proposition was a request to allow the district to roll unspent budget allocations at the end of each school year to an interest-bearing account. The intent was to save taxpayers money by reducing the amount of money that will be needed to finance a new school.  

Neither of the propositions would have increased local school taxes.

• Capital Project/Reserve Fund Newsletter