Concerned Taxpayers of Upper Darby

UD School District is planning an extensive expansion of the Aronimink School.  Concerned Taxpayers are opposing the expansion, and need your help! A case pending before the court will examine the legal issues.

In these tumultuous times, it is hard to believe, that the Upper Darby School District bullishly insists on investment in capital projects at the Taxpayers expense. 

Rather than making the 69th Street Elementary School Project their #1 Project, the School Administration and School Board chose the Aronimink Expansion Project instead. They were granted final approval at a 1 a.m. vote during the height of the Coronavirus Pandemic on April 1, 2020 at the Upper Darby Township Council Mtg on Land Expansion Plans. 

The School District has hired high-powered Center City Philadelphia lawyers with the hope of having those opposed to the expansion intimidated.  Everyone's help is needed!  The cost of the Aronimink expansion will have a significant impact on everyone's school tax.  The cost of the expansion is over $20 Million, and will go up with construction cost overruns. We feel Taxpayer money should be spent to pay for projects that are absolutely necessary. And Aronimink is not one of the overcrowded schools!!!

The Cons

• Students at Stonehurst and Bywood Elementary Schools have been taken out of their neighborhoods for years and transported to schools as far away as Glenolden's Senkow School (previously St. George).  Ironically, the Aronimink Project means more bus transportation to travel to the opposite side of the Township. We believe that every child should have the benefit of a neighborhood school, every parent should have an opportunity to actively participate in their child’s school life, and that children learn better in a comfortable, safe environment in a close proximity  to home and family. This will not happen with this project. All students in the Township deserve easy access to local schools as well as after-school and weekend activities. Schools play such an important part in our communities!
• Increased Traffic Congestion. With this project, the Kindergarten Center moves to the Aronimink School (although another UD School District priority is to have Kindergarten at each Elementary School "some day"), and converts the existing Kindergarten Center site to an Elementary School for the Senkow School students being bused.
• Buses will bring increased traffic on at least State Road to Burmont Road and Bond Avenue, Roberts Road, and Marvine Avenue, as well as additional cars coming and going to drop off and pick up children, which impacts the safety of: St. Dorothy students walking to school, Aronimink students walking to school, Daycare children being dropped off and picked up from Holy Comforter Church, and other students who wait on Bond Avenue for buses to other schools.
• Removal of much needed Green Space surrounding the existing Aronimink School campus affects walkers, runners, strollers, bikers, and dog walkers. The addition of a 70+ car parking lot on Bond Avenue will result in environmental concerns for neighbors.  The removal of trees and replacing green space with cement can contribute to flooding issues. Fumes from additional school buses means more pollution in the air.
• An INTERIM solution which the Aronimink Project is, means even MORE TAXES than necessary.

Build the Schools- Our Kids deserve it! Yes- We all agree! But fix the overcrowded schools where they exist, which are at Highland Park, Stonehurst and Bywood. The School District claims they cannot build there- but no one has seen any solutions/estimates presented to the School Disrtict to address "flood areas" in 69th Street areas.

An expansion at Aronimink consisting of a massive gym, and some classrooms, means unnecessary tax expense. Each year annual funding must be requested (This School District doesnt seem to understand residents CANNOT afford ANY more increases). And, because potential buyers will not pay such high taxes, this results in lower property values to offset the ever-increasing annual school taxes. This impacts ALL Taxpayers in Upper Darby Township. It's not a $110 increase for everyone; only homes assessed at $75,000 on the old formula.  Your school tax increase is based on the assessment of your individual home.

We've asked the School District to remove any improvement that is not an absolute priority in these times!

School District communication is limited to the School District Website- 90% of affected residents do not use the School District . Meetings were held and open to the Public, yet the Residents in the area are still not aware of the Project Scope and the tax impact! Please help if you can today! Please contact other Concerned Taxpayers!