Second question for larger gym fails
By Vanessa Holt, Managing Editor
CHESTERFIELD — Voters approved a $37 million plan for a new elementary school Tuesday by a margin of 669-594, according to a school official Tuesday night.
The tally did not include provisional or absentee ballots.
Voters had previously voted down a referendum in 2005 and one in 2003 for a second school in the district. Under this year’s plan, the current building will be closed and sold when the new building opens, tentatively in 2010.
Of the $37 million total cost for the school, $31 million would be taxpayers’ responsibility. According to the district, the tax rate increase would be an average of 17.3 cents per $100 of assessed property value, or $799 a year, for the owner of a house valued at the township average, $462,568.
The owner of an average-assessed house currently pays $3,395 in school taxes with a tax rate of 73.4 cents per $100 of assessed property value.
A second question asked voters whether a larger gym was desired in the new building. The cost would be approximately $1 million and would be funded through local revenue, according to the district. Voters rejected that question by a margin of 672-580.

