University of Maryland College Park Office of Executive Programs
Newswire Week 4(10/19-10/25)
LOCAL
Answers to questions never asked about Bedford county school _ Editorial The Roanoke Times - October 19, 2002 Sunday http://www.roanoke.com/roatimes/news/story138298.html
	The News and Daily Advance in Lynchburg has detailed the high cost of the two newest elementary schools, Goodview and Thomas Jefferson. Comparisons between the cost of these two schools ($99 per square foot) and Campbell County's Rustburg Elementary ($72 per square foot) were made. All of these schools were built at the same time. Had your editorial writer tried, he could have obtained the yearly reports published by the Virginia Department of Education that list new school construction costs per square foot. By reviewing these reports, he would have known that Bedford County has spent more per square foot for new construction than any school system in Virginia time and again over the past decade.
ACROSS THE NATION
Iowa
Council supports school tax; Increase: Members praise the board's long-term plan The Telegraph Herald - October 24, 2002 Thursday
	The Dubuque City Council this week became the latest group to throw its support behind a 1 percent sales tax increase that would fund school construction and improvements. The city council on Monday unanimously passed a resolution backing the increase. Dubuque County voters will decide the fate of the school sales tax on Dec. 10. The measure would raise an estimated $80 million over 10 years for the Dubuque Community School District and another $20 million over 10 years for the Western Dubuque School District. The money must be used for school infrastructure.
Massachusetts
School plans are tough sell officials argue case for $28m debt exclusion The Boston Globe - October 20, 2002, Sunday
	Low interest rates and a favorable time for construction projects are among the arguments proponents are offering in support of the $28 million school construction proposal that will go before voters on Nov. 5. Town officials, though, recognize that the proposal, broken down into two projects, will face an uphill battle because it would require a suspension of the Proposition 2 1/2 tax limit. North Reading has not passed a major school project requiring additional taxes in the past four years, school officials said.
Ohio
Backers of sales tax face tough sell The Associated Press State & Local Wire - October 21, 2002, Monday
	Backers of a sales tax that would raise an estimated $30 million a year for school construction in Summit County will spend $500,000 in their uphill campaign to pass the tax. Supporters of the tax hike have launched an information blitz, attempting to win support for the first sales tax increase in Ohio that would be used to build and repair school buildings. The issue is particularly urgent for Akron Public Schools, which wants to begin a $774 million school construction project. The district first must secure $284 million in local money to get the remaining money from the state. Akron is counting on the sales tax approval to get the construction plan under way and to avoid relying on property taxes for the local matching money.
California
School construction overseers face obstacles The Columbus Dispatch - October 20, 2002 Sunday http://libpub.dispatch.com/cgi-bin/documentv1?DBLIST=cd02&DOCNUM=45974&TERMV=190:6:197:12:209:9:218:4:222:9:
	Los Angeles voters approved a $2.4 billion school-improvement bond issue in 1997 after the school district created a panel to ensure accountability. Five years later, the school-renovation program is $600 million over budget, only half completed and 2 1/2 years behind schedule. The district is returning to voters Nov. 5 with another $3.35 billion request and -- in an effort to ensure that the mistakes of the past aren't repeated -- a stronger accountability panel.

Articles compiled by Sujin Bae

Graduate assistant for the School Construction Funding Project

Van Munching Hall University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742-1821

poissone@wam.umd.edu