Tuesday, September 29, 2026 · Serving all of Hudson County since March 2011Community · Hoboken
La concejal de la 2.a barrera de Hoboken, Tiffanie Fisher, contra la nueva escuela secundaria, como se presenta actualmente.
In her latest newsletter, Hoboken's 2nd Ward Councilwoman Tiffanie Fisher explains why she is a no vote on the city's proposed, new high school as the proposal currently exists. Voters…
In her latest newsletter, Hoboken’s 2nd Ward Councilwoman Tiffanie Fisher explains why she is a no vote on the city’s proposed, new high school as the proposal currently exists. Voters go to the polls on January 25 to decide on the $330 million project. Meanwhile, Vote By Mail ballots have just gone out.
December 30, 2021
Dear friends and neighbors,
Vote By Mail ballots were sent yesterday for the upcoming referendum vote on January 25th for the proposed $241 million New High School ($330 million with financing costs). So if you have requested a VBM ballot, it should be hitting your mailboxes today or tomorrow. Let me know if you got yours.
Several of you have asked me where I stand on this – which makes me feel like I did the job I wanted to originally do to provide as much information as possible to as many people as possible in an unbiased a way possible. Where I will always stand is for the best education for Hoboken’s children.
But voting starts today and I have decided to share my current thoughts the proposed New High School. Because of how and how little information on the project has been disseminated since the start, and because we were not afforded an opportunity to debate what is arguably the most expensive taxpayer funded investment in Hoboken’s history at $330 million, I felt it important to continue to the discussion and share information including my thoughts on the project as of today:
I am not a yes vote on the New High School as currently proposed. I think the proposal is a Ferrari when maybe all we need is a Honda (or something in between) and would like to know if there is a different proposal that is a better fit (more affordable but still amazing) and determined based upon a process that is more transparent and involves input from many public stakeholders, not just a small few. #morevoicesarebetter
I actually support the need for a new High School, but my current view is a “not this / not yet / no on this proposal, and please try again”. The BOE gave us this path by saying if this proposal is not approved, they would bring another proposal back in a year. Let’s take them up on that offer.
As an informed taxpayer, although I strongly believe the enrollment wave justifies expanded facilities, I am not confident that the Ferrari version of a school costing taxpayers $330 million is what is best for Hoboken without knowing if there is another alternative that could cost less and be a better fit. As someone said to me yesterday that resonated, we would all love to drive a new Ferrari… but maybe all we really need is a new Honda (or Subaru, Jeep, BMW or any other less expensive car than a Ferrari). Ferraris only seat two, have a lot of nice-to-haves, cost a fortune to drive and maintain and often sit idle in a garage. Hondas come in all sizes, have everything you need to drive, can come with plenty of bells and whistles, are priced more affordably to buy and maintain, and are used all the time.
And importantly, if you get to buy a new car using other people’s money, shouldn’t you have to explain why you need to spend so much to everyone you are borrowing the money from, not just those who will get to ride in it (which in this case are about 10% of Hoboken residents and taxpayers)?
The following are questions that reflect a lot of input from many of you. Depending on the answers, maybe this will help me get to yes now. More likely, answers will help me get to a yes next time if the current proposal is voted down. I hope you find them helpful as you consider your own vote:
- ¿Cómo se ve el presupuesto detallado de 330 millones de dólares y qué incluye (hay cierta confusión)?
- ¿Qué otras alternativas se consideraron seriamente? Por ejemplo, ¿se podría actualizar la actual Escuela Secundaria de Hoboken a un costo menor? ¿Podría comprarse terreno para una nueva escuela primaria o secundaria? ¿Se podrían ampliar o mejorar las escuelas existentes? En comparación, Waldwick NJ aprobó un referéndum por 30 millones de dólares en noviembre que incluía mejoras transformadoras en su escuela secundaria.
- ¿Qué institutos secundarios buscamos como modelos/marcos de referencia? ¿Qué características/prefierancias tienen y cuál es su tamaño de clase?
- ¿Es necesario el segundo teatro y la pista de hockey (ambas plantas) y el segundo campo de baloncesto y el centro de bienestar y salas de terapia?
- ¿Puede haber una configuración con una huella más pequeña y menos costosa sin estos espacios que proporcionaran aún más espacio en el aula? ¿Quizás desechar la torre del aula y mantener todo dentro de la huella de campo? ¿Tienen algunas aulas frente al parque Columbus para ventanas además de Jefferson St.? ¿Se alejará del parque para preservar la muy utilizada cancha de tenis y baloncesto pública y reducir el impacto de la sombra y el tráfico en el parque?
- ¿Era necesario que la pista de hockey tuviera una restricción de diseño dada la cantidad de pies cuadrados contiguos que ocupa? ¿Cuánto del coste total de la construcción de la pista se atribuye a la pista, incluido el coste de la construcción del gran edificio libre de columnas necesario para alojarla?
- ¿Por qué no hay espacios de programación de tecnología profesional – como taller de metal, trabajo de madera y mecánica?
- ¿Cuánto costará incrementalmente, anualmente, mantener algunos de los espacios más especializados como la pista de fútbol y el segund teatro – por ejemplo, servicios públicos, tecnología, personal experimentado, futuras sustituciones / mejoras?
- ¿Cuál es la justificación de los costes para dos teatros teniendo en cuenta que Hoboken también tendrá el gran auditorio en la actual Escuela Secundaria de Hoboken?
- ¿Cuáles son los costes futuros previstos para operar la nueva escuela secundaria? ¿Cuánto de cada uno de estos se espera que sean fuentes de financiamiento – inscripción, ingresos por alquiler, contribuyentes?
- ¿Quiénes participaron en el diseño de esta nueva escuela secundaria y en la determinación de lo que se necesitaba?
- ¿Cómo funcionará exactamente la zona de beneficio de la comunidad? ¿Cuáles serán las horas de disponibilidad de cada espacio y cuánto tiempo tendrá el público? ¿Cuál es el coste total de estas zonas de beneficios comunitarios?
I am also concerned about affordability in Hoboken that impacts people of all income levels and backgrounds. I feel strongly that it is the fiduciary responsibility of all elected officials to find the most cost-effective uses of taxpayer dollars. And it doesn’t feel like that is the case here with a Ferrari version of a high school being put forward without giving voters consideration for other alternatives and hearing from more people who will be paying the bill.
With this 20% school tax increase on top of inflationary pressures we are seeing in everyday costs, we are effectively pushing people out of town, many who have lived here their entire lives. The City’s budget may also contribute to this with all six union contracts expected to have large, four+ year catch up salary increases hitting this year. Shouldn’t we and can’t we do more to see if less of a tax burden can still deliver a great outcome?
I will conclude by saying that I fully support a new school and if I were investing $1 into a new building in our Hoboken District Schools, I would invest in a new high school – not a new elementary school. The enrollment wave is real. But for me to get comfortable having taxpayers foot a third of a billion dollar bill, increasing school taxes by 20%, and your overall tax bill by almost 6% for the next 30 years I would want a full public discussion including what alternatives there are and make sure that the new school addresses the diverse needs of our entire community including affordability.
I just don’t think we can accomplish this before January 25th. We take longer and collect more public input to choose new playground equipment in Hoboken. I would like to see the BOE amend this proposal and bring back a new version ASAP that is more affordable and a better fit for Hoboken but still provides the best backdrop for our Hoboken students to succeed academically.
This is a low turnout and low information election over holidays amidst a pandemic which favors a yes vote. Please make sure you vote – whether by VBM or at the polls on January 25th. And if you choose to withhold your vote in protest, please just know the implications (usually the opposite of what you want). Your vote (or lack thereof) will never matter more than this election.
As always, please forward to everyone you know who may be interested in this. Feel free to email me at councilwomanfisher2@gmail.com or call me at 201-208-1674 to discuss what you have read or anything else that is important to you.
TiffanieFisher
Hoboken City Council, 2nd Ward
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