Cape Neighbors Alliance
The anonymous mailers sent by “Cape Neighbors Alliance” are riddled with misinformation and scare tactics that they refuse to sign their names to.
If you’re interested in learning more about the Cape Elizabeth School project, we invite you to read through our FAQs, explore our website, or reach out to us with questions.
Cape Neighbors Alliance claims…
Get the Facts:
SBAC made a divided 5-4 project recommendation to the School Board in May 2024. During the final vote, members shared the goal of minimizing taxpayer impact, struggled to agree on the best long-term financial value, and failed to dedicate a sufficient amount of time to discuss educational needs and student disruption.
On May 21, the School Board reviewed SBAC’s reports, community surveys, and expert presentations. After a Q&A with Harriman architects, they agreed to pursuing a compromise that...
✅ Commits to a responsible, supported tax increase.
✅ Prioritizes educational needs and minimizes disruption.
✅ Produces a lasting, long-term solution.
✅ Addresses emergency repairs for all 3 schools.
The “middle ground” solution is the culmination of over 106 public meetings from the School Building Advisory Committee and collaboration between the SBAC, School Board, Town Council, Owners’ Reps, and Harriman architects.
It creates a 10-year plan to meet 100% of critical facility and educational needs for our students, without requiring additional construction bonds through the utilization of SRRF Funding, a state program that issues 0% interest rates to public schools for certain high-priority projects. The program also forgives 30% of the project as a grant.
Cape Neighbors Alliance claims…
Get the Facts:
Cape Neighbors Alliance is conflating the town-wide revaluation, the annual budget, and an infrastructure bond.
If the bond is approved at the ballot box in November, you will see an increase in your tax bill starting in FY2027 (the October 2026 tax bill).
The tax increases due to the school bond will be phased in over 3 years, so residents will have time to prepare for the increase:
FY2027: 2%
FY2028: 3.6%
FY2029: 6.4%
For the average homeowner (median property value of $720,000), the cost of the “middle ground” project will start at ~$10/month in FY2027, increase to ~$35/month in FY2028, and peak in FY2029, for a total of ~$80/month where it will remain level for the life of the bond or until refinanced to more attractive terms.
Source: Pro-forma and Charts, Column H from the Town Council Meeting on July 8, 2024.
On the Revaluation:
The town-wide revaluation reassesses property values to reflect current market conditions, ensuring a fair distribution of the tax burden based on up-to-date property values.
While property values in Cape Elizabeth increased by approximately 111%, it’s important to note that an increase in property value doesn’t always mean higher taxes, as the municipal budget only slightly increases. The revaluation, effective FY2025, decreases the mill rate to account for rising property values.
For more details, including how this affects your tax bill and information about property tax relief programs, visit our comprehensive blog post.
Cape Neighbors Alliance claims…
Get the Facts:
Overall, enrollment for all three schools has been holding steady at +/- 1500 students and is projected to grow starting in 2027. In particular, the number of students in the elementary and middle schools will grow at a faster pace than the high school.
Education has continually evolved to address the needs of society at various points in history. In the 1880s, a one-room schoolhouse sufficed because the primary educational goals were geared towards agriculture, factory work, and small business. College preparation was limited to a select few.
As we advanced through the Industrial Revolution, the increased complexity of governments and organizations created a demand for educated managers and civil servants. To meet this need, the education system expanded to include more subjects such as accounting, math, and basic science. This shift necessitated a move away from the one-room schoolhouse to a model featuring multiple grades and specialized teachers, with physical facilities evolving to support these changes.
Today, we face similar challenges. Modern business and academia require knowledge of science, robotics, coding, new literature, and an appreciation of diversity. The educational demands of the 21st century can't be fulfilled using facilities and methods developed in the mid-20th century. Just as it was necessary to evolve from the one-room schoolhouse and the curriculum of the 1930s, it is now time to update our educational infrastructure and approach to meet contemporary needs.
Our school infrastructure is approaching a breaking point. Pond Cove Elementary School, Cape Elizabeth Middle School, and Cape Elizabeth High School all require costly and critical updates to safely educate our community’s children.
Currently, students are receiving math and reading intervention in closets, the only conference room has been converted into a classroom, the STEM program is housed in a hallway, sick kids wait in the main entrance to see the nurse, and the principal often works on a bench in the hallway because her office is used for meetings.
The "middle ground" project is meant to serve not only today's 544 Pond Cove and 450 CEMS students, but also the 68,000+ future students over the next 70 years.
Cape Neighbors Alliance claims…
Get the Facts:
Our Middle School Is In Very Poor Condition: This isn’t just an old building that needs a coat of paint. Across multiple rounds of architects, a plethora of critical needs and failings have been identified, vetted, and confirmed by our hired professionals and affirmed by the SBAC, Owners Rep, and School Board. Already beyond its expected useful lifespan, the magnitude of required improvements carries a cost that is only marginally lower than the cost to build a new school. Don’t take our word for it: read the Facility Needs Assessment Report.
This Project Provides A Better Return on Investment: Bonding tens of millions of dollars to extend the life of this failing infrastructure would yield a poor return on investment. According to the work of the SBAC, the expected lifespan of a new middle school would far exceed that of costly renovations – by decades. New construction provides a better return on investment on a year-of-useful-life-per-dollar basis, making it the most cost effective approach. The town will need to fund additional renovations and construction in the future. We can control how soon that happens with our investment decisions today (aka in 25 years, not 10).
It Avoids Disruption: A renovation would stretch across 2-3 school years and disrupt the learning space of 100% of middle school students. Dozens of portable trailers costing millions of dollars would occupy Moulton Field, likely surrounded by tall security fencing. Students would be displaced and isolated — further disenfranchising those students requiring additional services. Additional prep and travel time would be required, with students going in and out of doors multiple times per day for allied arts, lunch, assemblies, special services, or activities.
With scores of individual entry points and outside doors, acceptable security measures would be almost impracticable. At the end of this extended disruption, teachers would return to unchanged classrooms. Proposed renovations don’t even provide a coat of paint for the learning space of our middle schoolers. The school board, with the input of the School District and MS Administrators, found this level of disruption unacceptable relative to the benefits of the renovation.
A new middle school would be constructed while students remained in the current building. Upon its completion, students would move to their new building while the old building is demolished and converted to field space. No portables, no disruption to learning, and more learning needs met by the project.
It “Resets the Clock”: Renovations alone for the MS, along with planned renovations Pond Cove and HS, puts Cape taxpayers on a collision course with three concurrently failing school buildings in the coming 20 years. This is a very expensive roll of the dice.
We Don’t Know What's Inside The Walls: Renovations are commonly plagued by expensive surprises, unexpected mitigation outlays, and cost overruns. Expected cost savings can easily evaporate in the construction process. (2:44:38 Public comment from Patrick Cotter, member of SBAC.)
Cape Neighbors Alliance claims…
Get the Facts:
SBAC conducted two town-wide surveys with Portland Research Group, one in the Summer 2023 (prior to the completion of the town-wide revaluation) and a second in April 2024 after the completion of the revaluation.
On Page 40, you can see 41% of respondents preferred “Design E”, the new middle school option, which was estimated at $114.5 million at the time of the survey. Not only was this more than double the percentage who preferred all other concepts combined, it was also the top selection across all age segments.
On Page 58, more than 70%+ of respondents said the town revaluation neutrally or positively impacts their opinion of the school project. An increase of 18% over 2023’s survey.
Further, on Pages 59-60, you will see the support for a property tax increase, with over 60% of respondents willing to pay an increase between 5-10%, including a 6% increase in residents who stated they would pay “what ever is needed”.
Since the survey, the project has been refined with our architects. The final proposal is the “middle ground” at $89.95 million, roughly ~$30/month more than a renovation project, but with 0% student interruption and a shelf-life 3x longer. (See comparison of the former “Option E” of a new middle school vs. “Option B” of renovations.)
The actual tax increase:
The tax increases due to the school bond will be phased in over 3 years, so residents will have time to prepare for the increase:
FY2027: 2%
FY2028: 3.6%
FY2029: 6.4%
For the average homeowner (median property value of $720,000), the cost of the “middle ground” project will start at ~$10/month in FY2027, increase to ~$35/month in FY2028, and peak in FY2029, for a total of ~$80/month where it will remain level for the life of the bond (or until refinanced to more attractive terms).
Source: Pro-forma and Charts, Column H from the Town Council Meeting on July 8, 2024.
Cape Neighbors Alliance claims…
Get the Facts:
The “middle ground” project is much more than a new middle school. It also includes a renovation (27,740 sq. ft.) and addition (4,625 sq. ft.) to Pond Cove, including:
✅ A new boiler plant, electrical room, and mechanical room, extending the life of most systems by 15-20 years
✅ Interior flooring, ceilings, and paint
You can read more about the project and what it includes inside the Architects’ presentation from June 24, 2024.
Cape Neighbors Alliance claims…
Get the Facts:
It’s true that property taxes will increase, but it’s also true that there are programs in place to support those who need support. We’ve compiled a list of long-standing, existing property tax relief programs here.
Additionally, at its July 8, 2024, meeting, the Town Council requested that the Ordinance Committee revise the local Senior Tax Relief program to find additional ways to support those in need.
It’s also important to know that if the bond is approved at the ballot box you will not see an increase in your tax bill until FY2027 (your October 2026 tax bill).
The tax increases due to the school bond will be phased in over 3 years, so residents will have time to prepare for the increase:
FY2027: 2%
FY2028: 3.6%
FY2029: 6.4%
For the average homeowner (median property value of $720,000), the cost of the “middle ground” project will start at ~$10/month in FY2027, increase to ~$35/month in FY2028, and peak in FY2029, for a total of ~$80/month where it will remain level for the life of the bond (or until refinanced to more attractive terms).
Source: Pro-forma and Charts, Column H from the Town Council Meeting on July 8, 2024.
Cape Neighbors Alliance claims…
Get the Facts:
Despite the Cape Neighbors Alliance’s claims of “believing that good governance happens when processes are transparent,” the alterative “Reiniger Bond” has no defined plan, has had no input from experts, and was devised entirely outside of the process. Read more here.
The closest comparison the public can make, since this option was floated without expert opinion from architects or bond counsel, is “Option A”, a preliminary $36.5 million “bring the building to code” concept presented to the SBAC in February 2024 that was the first option to be unanimously rejected after a Motion made by Councilor Tim Thompson.
While the Town Council has authority to issue a bond, it does not have authority to dictate how the funds may be used by the School Board, essentially writing a blank check and abdicating the Council’s fiduciary responsibility to taxpayers.
It is risky, at best, to place the town in a position of bonding millions of dollars without a plan and without the support of the School Board.
The “middle ground” proposal addresses emergency needs, resets the clock on the middle school, greatly extends the life of the elementary school, and addresses projects at the high school leveraging the construction team that will already be on the school grounds.
Cape Neighbors Alliance claims…
Get the Facts:
The “middle ground” solution is the culmination of over 106 public meetings from the School Building Advisory Committee, the collaboration between the SBAC, School Board, Town Council, Owners’ Reps, and Harriman architects.
It also creates a 10-year plan to meet 100% of critical facility and educational needs for our students, without requiring additional construction bonds and through the utilization of SRRF Funding, a state program that issues 0% interest rates to public schools for certain high-priority projects and forgives 30% of the project as a grant.
Renovation is a temporary fix that puts the town on a collision course in 15-20 years.
Cape Neighbors Alliance claims…
Get the Facts:
Architect Corinne Bell, a member of the SBAC with experience working on public school construction projects, presented on May 21, 2024, to the School Board and talked about the complexity of sustainability in design.
Most school buildings are abandoned after 60 years of use according to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). Our buildings have reached the end of their useful life and the middle school is the oldest.
While renovation has environmental benefits in some areas, sustainability in architecture is a broad topic that covers more than just carbon emissions. Building a new building:
✅ is more energy efficient
✅ meets modern energy codes
✅ is designed designed for future flexibility
✅ improves indoor air quality
✅ lowers operating costs
Currently, CEMS and Pond Cove share a boiler plant, electrical service, and other systems. A renovation would preserve this inefficiency and require mechanical systems to remain outdoors where they have half the lifetime expectancy compared.
Replacing CEMS and installing a new boiler plant and electrical service entry for Pond Cove will last far longer, extending the life of the current elementary school and providing a much more total replacement than a renovation would allow.
What neighbors are saying about the Cape Elizabeth School Bond:
