RUMORS

There has been a great deal of misinformation distributed regarding this project. Here are some of the rumors that have come to our attention.

RUMOR 1
The district has not reduced the cost the project – it represents the wants, not needs of educators. It is a bloated Taj Mahal.

Over the course of two years, architects, engineers, administrators, teachers, and staff worked together with input from the community to create the project you see today. The first project design cost was 90 million dollars. Both the administration and the board then removed elements of the project (stadium, some fields, computer laboratories) finally reducing the cost to 62.7 million dollars. A balance had to be struck between the needs of today, the requirement to plan for 20-25 years and the ability of taxpayers to foot the bill.

The truth is that the district has NEVER overbuilt. In fact, it has sometimes made regrettable decisions to cut projects to realize short-term savings, later costing many times the savings to fix.

Legislation such as Act 34, nicknamed the Taj Mahal Act, place restrictions on districts limiting a building project’s scope to what is needed. There is a complex process called PlanCon which ensures that taxpayers money is not spent irresponsibly. All districts, including ours, must submit to this process to receive funding from the Pennsylvania Department of Education for construction.

Some detractors of the project have pointed to a Yoga/Dance Center, Human Performance Laboratory and Green House to portray the project as excessive. These rooms were labeled by the architect in today’s architectural jargon but are actually an all-purpose gym space, weight room and a small 14 x 14 foot botany lab in the corner of an environmental science room.

WITH THE TWO YEARS OF STUDY, COST REDUCTIONS, AND DEBATE BEHIND US, WE BELIEVE THIS IS THE RIGHT PROJECT FOR OUR STUDENTS, TEACHERS AND STAFF.

RUMOR 2
The tax rate in Unionville-Chadds Ford School District is one of the highest in Chester County.

Unionville-Chadds ford School District’s tax rate is, and has been, among the lowest in Chester County.  Of the twelve School Districts in the Chester County Intermediate Unit, only three have a lower tax rate (Great Valley, West Chester Area and Tredyffrin / Easttown) due their having a larger commercial tax base.  Yet, Unionville-Chadds Ford ranks in the middle of the same group with regard to per student spending and is recognized for providing a quality education at an efficient cost.

RUMOR 3
How our school district performs or is perceived is not important to taxpayers without children in school.

Even if taxpayers disregarded the benefits of educating their children who will grow into our leaders, scientists, soldiers and citizens of the future, school district residents enjoy higher property values because of the high quality education the district provides. Facilities are an integral part of that success as are good teachers, administrators and staff. Realtors regularly comment that the number one reason for moving into the area is the school district.

RUMOR 4
It would be better to do less now and save some money.

With the cost of construction rising over 8 percent each year, delaying what needs to be done will only cost the taxpayer more later. This project will never cost less.

RUMOR 5
The project cost is not consistent with other construction projects in the area.

After adjusting costs for square footage and the escalation of construction to today costs, this project is equal to or lower than comparable projects in the area.

RUMOR 6
The district has been presented with a cheaper alternative for 30 million dollars and did not take it.

The 30 million dollar project that has been tossed about is an estimate from an architect’s study performed 2 years ago, which, by the firm’s own admission, did not take all factors into account. Due to the omission of escalation, site work and other cost factors that were left out of the "order of magnitude" estimates, the thirty million dollar figure is grossly inaccurate. The actual costs of the study estimates that were presented would approach or exceed the current project.