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Fee hike won't cover shortfall

Even with a twentyfold increase in impact fees, the Hillsborough school district won't have enough money to keep up with growth.

By LETITIA STEIN
Published May 19, 2006

TAMPA - In the next five years, drastically higher fees on new homes in Hillsborough County could build three high schools, five middle schools, 10 elementary schools or some combination.

But no matter the mix, Hillsborough still faces more school construction needs than it has money to pay for them.

Unpopular remedies remain on the table as school officials sift through options to resolve a space crunch years in the making. School officials continue to discuss changes to school attendance boundaries, even after an attendance zone overhaul in northwest Hillsborough ignited outrage among parents. While unlikely, no one has ruled out the prospect of double sessions on crammed campuses.

"We're not going to get enough money to build enough schools," said Bill Person, who oversees student placement in Hillsborough schools. "We can't solve all of our problems through new construction."

Certainly, more money will help. Since 1989, Hillsborough has levied a $196 fee on new homes to help pay for schools. County commissioners agreed Wednesday to increase the assessment to $4,000 over the next two years.

The boosted fee is expected to generate $46-million annually, which can be used to build schools and buy land. The funding - coupled with $93-million from the state to reduce class sizes this year - should ease the district's $420-million projected shortfall in construction money over the next five years but not eliminate it.

School officials estimate the higher fees will generate $150- to $180-million over the five-year period. The cash influx also could free up money to renovate older campuses.

"This will help us for a while,'' said School Board Chairwoman Carolyn Bricklemyer. "We don't have to panic."

After the county's vote, district leaders ruled out asking voters this fall for a half-cent sales tax increase. It remains a possibility for the future.

Still, the school system falls significantly short on dollars needed for future construction projects, which ultimately could mean some repairs or additions don't get done as quickly as desired.

School officials also remain committed to considering changes to school boundaries across the county, despite the recent opposition from northwest Hillsborough parents.

Now the district wants to create a committee of stakeholders to oversee a larger discussion about moving students to maximize use of classroom space. Crowding afflicts one-fourth of Hillsborough's schools.

Details about the higher assessments on new homes still are being worked out. The county has to formalize the fee hike with an ordinance.

"I don't want to get out my champagne glass yet,'' School Board member Jennifer Faliero said. "This is a good step toward meeting the needs of growth."

On Thursday, Tampa City Council member John Dingfelder questioned whether the impact fee established by the county was appropriate for the city. New homes in the city stand to pay the same assessment as in the county.

Dingfelder asked city staff to report on whether the city could set its own fee.

"It's important we explore this issue," he said. "There might be a need for us to make a significant change."

City Attorney David Smith said he doesn't believe state law allows the city to chart its own course on school impact fees, and Mayor Pam Iorio said she wouldn't support a city-specific fee.

"It's a countywide system,'' she said. "It's not a system based on jurisdictional boundaries."

Planned projects: Here is a list of new schools on the district's list of unfunded projects for the next five years. Money generated from the county's higher assessments on new homes could help foot the bill.

• One middle and one elementary school in the northwest
•  One high school and one middle school in central Tampa
• Two elementary and one middle school in the Brandon area
• Two elementary and one middle school in south county
•  One middle school in east county
• Two elementary schools in northeast county

Times staff writer Janet Zink contributed to this story. Letitia Stein can be reached at lstein@sptimes.com or 813 226-3366.

[Last modified May 19, 2006, 07:06:06]