In addition to the new schools, the $120 million includes land purchases for school sites in Ravenel, West Ashley, District 2 (Mount Pleasant) and District 9 (Johns Island); renovations to Sullivan's Island Elementary and Rivers Middle; advanced building design plans for Jennie Moore Elementary, Harbor View Elementary and Chicora Elementary; and advanced building design plans and land for Laing Middle.

The district will pay for the extra construction through installment financing, which relies on projected tax revenues rather than actual tax revenues.  Chief Financial Officer Don Kennedy initially proposed the plan to the board by saying the tax rate would increase by 1.8 mills in the 2008 fiscal year to pay for the additional construction. One mill equals about $2.1 million.  But the board approved adding the buildings on the condition that the tax rate would not increase.

Board member Brian Moody came up with the idea that if the district raised its estimate for the rate of growth in the county - an increase in that figure would create more revenue for the district - that would allow the district to add the $120 million without raising taxes. The district uses 2 percent as an annual growth estimate and 10 percent in reassessment years, but the district traditionally has seen 30 percent to 50 percent growth in reassessment years.  The district needs to use a more realistic estimate for the rate of growth, Moody said. "Our numbers are just too soft," he said.

Kennedy cited three reasons for pitching the additional construction: escalating construction costs: high population growth and potential changes to sites for downtown schools.  A more pressing reason is there's a distinct possibility the school district might not be able to use installment financing much longer. House lawmakers included a provision in the recently approved property tax legislation that would prohibit districts from borrowing money through installment financing. The bill is being considered by a Senate subcommittee, and it is likely they will keep the language in the final version.

"I would prefer to wait, but if folks are not going to let us manage our house, we have to do what we have to do," Moody said.

Board members Sandi Engelman, David Engelman, Ray Toler and Lurline Fishburne voted against the addition to the building program.  Sandi Engelman said the district already is too indebted. She didn't care if it doesn't raise taxes because the district still has to pay back the borrowed money.  "My grandchildren will be paying these schools off," she said.

In other business, the board got its first look at next year's budget, which is slated to grow $5 million to $306 million. The district faces $19.3 million in increased expenses, but it also has reduced its expenditures by $13.9 million.  Board member David Engelman said the district's proposed budget was "fluff" and "a joke," while board member Susan Simons said she liked the way district leaders presented the expenditures that were reduced or reallocated.

The budget includes six additional pre-kindergarten classes, implementing the second year of a salary study, hiring four more teachers to help students whose first language is not English and expanding the new discipline school, Murray Hill Academy, to house more students.

Some board members have said they either want the tax rate or overall budget amount to stay the same, but the board hasn't given a clear direction as to what it prefers.

How they voted

For: Nancy Cook, Gregg Meyers, Hillery Douglas, Brian Moody, Susan Simons

Against: Sandi Engelman, David Engelman, Ray Toler and Lurline Fishburne

Reach Diette Courrégé at dcourrege@postandcourier.com or 937-5546.