The November election ballot will include a referendum question seeking the authorization for the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors to sell more than $290 million worth of bonds to fund school construction.
School bonds are essentially the funding for the school-system's Capital Improvements Plan. The school system has been on a cycle of requesting a bond referendum every two years, coinciding with local elections. The amounts of the referendum have varied — $204 million in 1995, $232 million in 1997, $297 million in 1999 and $377 million in 2001 — with the last being the most requested in recent history.
The only referendum to fail was in the 1970s, when citizens objected to putting air conditioning in the schools. The line item was removed and the referendum passed on a second attempt.
The bonds are authorized by the Board of Supervisors, who place a limit on how much the school system can spend each year. Currently, the cap is $130 million per year.
PROPOSED 2003 BOND REFERENDUM PROJECTS:
* New Construction $61,450,000
New Elementary Schools:
West Fairfax, planning only $1,300,000
Elementary School Modulars:
Beech Tree, Falls Church (six rooms) $1,500,000
Canterbury Woods, Annandale (10 rooms) $2,100,000
Crestwood, Springfield (10 rooms) $1,900,000
Graham Road, Falls Church (eight rooms) $1,700,000
Lousie Archer, Vienna (10 rooms) $1,900,000
McNair, Herndon (12 rooms) $3,000,000
Mosby Woods, Fairfax (10 rooms) $2,100,000
Riverside, Alexandria (12 rooms) $2,100,000
Stratford Landing, Alexandria (10 rooms) $1,900,000
Timber Lane, Falls Church (12 rooms) $2,100,000
Washington Mill, Alexandria (10 rooms) $1,900,000
Westlawn, Falls Church (six rooms) $1,600,000
TBD (10 rooms) $2,100,000
Middle School Modulars:
Cooper, McLean (12 rooms) $2,400,000
Hughes, Reston (eight rooms) $1,700,000
Middle School Additions
Jackson, Falls Church (10 rooms) $4,650,000
High School Modulars
Chantilly, Chantilly (14 rooms) $2,600,000
High School Additions
Langley, McLean (16 rooms) $6,700,000
Westfield, Chantilly (24 room) $8,700,000
Special Program Facilities:
Central County Adult Education Facility $7,500,000
* Renovation Program $190,961,000
Middle Schools:
Glasgow, Alexandria (building replacement) $39,550,000
Key and Key Center, Springfield $27,800,000
High Schools:
South Lakes, Reston $55,711,000
Woodson, Fairfax $67,900, 000
* Infrastructure Management $36,750,000
Technology Network Upgrades $13,000,000
Americans with Disabilities Act Improvements $2,250,000
Roof Replacement $5,000,000
A/C Replacement $4,500,000
Boiler Replacement $4,500,000
Energy Performance Initiatives $2,000,000
Asphalt Paving $1,000,000
Security $1,000,000
Food Service Warehouse Expansion $3,500,000
* Project Total $289,161,000
* Bond Cost $1,449,000
* Referendum Total $290,610,000