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Collingswood board begins planning November operating referendum with $4.5M–$7M scenarios
Summary
The Collingswood Public School District board launched an ad hoc effort to shape an operating referendum this fall, discussing funding scenarios (roughly $4.5 million, $6 million and $7 million), a timeline to adopt ballot language by August, and plans for summer community outreach and roundtables.
The Collingswood Public School District board began formal planning for an operating referendum, with district leaders outlining a set of funding scenarios and a timeline aimed at a November ballot.
"We're going for our operating referendum, and it's going to be for this, this, this, this," Ms. Coleman, the board secretary, told trustees as the district described options roughly in the $4.5 million, $6 million and $7 million ranges. The administration said those buckets are intended to map how different funding levels would preserve staff, athletics, wellness services and other priorities.
Board member Zakiya said an ad hoc group has started gathering public feedback and will use roundtables, PTA meetings and summer outreach to test residents' priorities. She said the group will develop specific scenarios so voters can see trade-offs — for example, how many support staff a $6 million ask would buy versus a $4.5 million ask.
The administration said the board must adopt ballot language by the August meeting to meet statutory timelines for a November referendum (roughly a 60–90 day window). Officials recommended precise wording and legal review to reduce the risk of post-election legal challenges; the administration said it did not expect to require specialized bond counsel for the wording but will have an attorney review the language.
The district emphasized that the preliminary dollar ranges are approximate and will be refined over the summer alongside detailed projections showing how each level would translate into per-household tax impacts. Ms. Coleman noted that, in a prior levy push, $6 million translated to about $100 per household and suggested that figure as a ballpark for public discussion.
Next steps include using summer roundtables to prioritize programmatic options, drafting specific language for board review in July, and scheduling a formal vote on the referendum language at the August board meeting so the district can begin public outreach and campaigning ahead of the November election.
