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Politics

State says new school is too pricey

School Board members say the state underestimated construction costs for "School A" so it wouldn't have to cover the full bill.

By EDDY RAMIREZ
Published September 18, 2006

INVERNESS - Building a new elementary school in Citrus Springs will cost about $7.3-million more than the state says the School Board can legally spend on the project.

That finding was shared with board members Tuesday, just before they voted to slash the budget that pays for capital projects by more than $2-million.

School officials say they have set aside enough money to pay for the new school.

But they must still justify the additional expense to the state.

Board member Pat Deutschman suspects the state underestimated school construction costs to avoid footing the entire bill.

"If they acknowledged the real cost, then they would have to fund us the total cost and they don't want to do that," Deutschman said.

Asked who will foot the difference, she added, "We have to pay for it."

Last week, Alan Burcaw, the district's director of facilities and construction, warned the board and the superintendent in a memo that the cost of the new elementary school would exceed the limit set by the state.

This year, state lawmakers set new caps on construction costs for elementary, middle and high schools. Spending for a new elementary school that opens in 2008 is now capped at $18,942 per student station.

Citrus will have spent about $28,000 per student station when its elementary school - now designated as "School A" - opens in 2008. The school, which will serve 810 students, could cost as much as $26-million.

Board member Bill Murray was not aware that Citrus was exceeding the state's spending limit by $9,000 per student.

Like Deutschman, he thinks the state's spending limits are not based on accurate data. He pointed to skyrocketing construction costs and labor and material shortages that seem to change from month to month. He wants to assure the public that the board is not being wasteful.

"We're trying to make that new school come in as reasonable as we can with the expectation of what quality buildings should be for our students," he said. "The state is looking at bare-bones construction costs."

The state says its revised caps reflect the price of schools built in recent years.

Using 2005 data from new schools in Orange, Sarasota, Hillsborough and Brevard, the state made adjustments in order to "keep pace with the recent and significant increase in the cost of construction."

Deutschman argues that those limits remain inadequate.

At a statewide conference of school leaders last week, Deutschman said, she heard complaints from almost every district about skyrocketing construction costs.

"This is very common in Florida," she said. "The bottom lime to me is the state underestimates the cost of things so they underpay you."

Eddy Ramirez can be reached at eramirez@sptimes.com or 860-7305.

[Last modified September 17, 2006, 22:19:01]