| HISTORY | RUMORS | MEETINGS | PROJECT | Q and A | GALLERY | |
Updated 03/09/08
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REFERENDUM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Q: What is Act 1 and how does it affect the High School Project?
A: Act 1 ‘capped’ annual real estate tax increases to inflation adjusted maximums [plus ‘exceptions’ for mandated spending on special education and other federally required programs]. Thus large capital intensive projects are now difficult to fund strictly from normal ‘inflation adjusted’ increases. This is why your School Directors have requested taxpayer approval to take on debt above normal yearly limits.
Q: Why cant the board just live within the inflation adjusted increases?
A: Imagine your home had a leaking roof that would cost $20,000 to fix. Could most households fit a non-recurring, big-ticket item like that into their normal budget? Ignoring the need to spend for that repair could cause tremendous damage to your other assets.
Q: What was the proposal that was defeated in last November’s election?
A: Voters failed to pass an authorization for the UCF School District to borrow up to $62.5 million above and beyond normal inflationary increases for new construction and renovation of Unionville High School.
Q: Did the Board hear the taxpayers? How have they responded to their vote last November?
A: Your School Directors noted your preferences for lower overall spending. That is why we have reduced our request by $32.5 million from last November’s referendum. This means that overall multi-year spending by the board will be lower by $32.5 million under this new referendum than it would have been under last November’s proposal.
Q: What is the referendum question I will see on the April 22, 2008 ballot?
A: Voters will be asked to approve new borrowing of up to $30 million above and beyond normal inflationary increases for new construction and renovation of Unionville High School.
Q: Does this mean the cost of the High School plan has been reduced by $32.5 million?
A: No. It is anticipated that some facets of the plan may need to be funded through private donations [e.g. some athletic and performing arts facilities are targeted areas for this effort]. A capital funding campaign to generate non-taxpayer funded contributions is expected to be launched with a goal of raising $20 million.
Q: Why is the original project not being scaled back further?
A: Your School Board Directors do not want to repeat the past mistake of spending “less than needed” and then having to waste taxpayer money by correcting for under-spending in the original planning stages. [Remember saving $500,000 by not fully air-conditioning the high school and then paying many times that cost to correct that mistake later].
After multiple reviews of the plan it was scaled back from an originally proposed $90 million to $62.5 million. This plan has already eliminated many items thought desirable but not essential. We are trying to plan ahead for the next 10 – 25 years and need to provide facilities to serve the community long-term and not just for the next few years. The current plan is the one that is seen as best at an affordable cost without doing less than is truly required.
Q: Why does the School Board decide what the plan for the building and renovation should be?
A: The School Directors have had extensive discussions with other school districts, the Pennsylvania Department of Education, as well as multiple architectural firms in determining the needs and costs involved for this project. Although well educated, the average community member is not necessarily trained in public school construction, and has not been part of the thousands of hours of study and evaluation involved in this process.
Q: Why are the projected costs so high?
A: Under state law our construction must be done under 'prevailing wage' laws that dictate paying union scale wages even if lower cost bids could otherwise be obtained. The bidding process required to be used by school districts adds to the costs versus what private businesses might be able to pay for the same work. These extra expenses are imposed on us by the state of Pennsylvania, not by your local officials.
Q: How can the $62.5 million plan be funded if we only authorize $30 million in excess [above Act 1] borrowing?
A: This will be accomplished through a combination of the private, non-taxpayer funded contributions along with some general budgetary restraint to make up the needed principal and interest payments needed over the 20 – 25 year repayment period. This should result in a trimming of just 1.5% – 3% annually from what would otherwise have been available - a workable figure.
Please note that with inflation adjustments, ‘exception’ allowances and projected growth in assessed property values the overall school district budget will grow steadily over time. The adjustment to compensate for the principal and interest payments will thus become smaller [as a percentage of the budget] over time.
Q: Could you please summarize everything for me?
A: Your School Directors have listened to the voters and heard they desired lower overall spending than had been proposed last year. They have now requested permission to borrow and spend up to $30 million versus last November’s request for up to $62.5 million in ‘above Act 1’ spending.
The current High School construction and renovation plan is seen as the appropriate long-term solution. Thus your School Directors are committed to making up the difference in overall spending through a combination of private non-taxpayer funding and budgetary restraint in other areas over time.
