ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, September 25, 1996 TAG: 9609250060
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER NOTE: Shorter version ran in Metro edition.
The timing of a Virginia study of ways to finance school building needs could not be better for Roanoke County.
Just when the county is doing its own study that could produce a list of $120 million in needed school improvements, a General Assembly commission is determining how the state can help localities finance school projects.
The state study comes less than six months after county voters rejected a $37.4 million bond issue for a new Cave Spring High School and several smaller projects.
County school officials have hinted that the next package of projects for a possible school bond referendum could be substantially larger.
If the state agrees to help localities pay for school projects, it could ease the financial pressure on the county and enable it to scale down the size of a bond issue.
Some county officials are hopeful that will happen, but others hesitate to count on significant aid.
"I think the state would like to help, but I don't know where they're going to get the money," said Cave Spring Supervisor Fuzzy Minnix. "The state has built a lot of prisons, and there are other things that need money."
Minnix recently toured Cave Spring Junior High School with Lt. Gov. Don Beyer, who cited the school as a good example of the crowding and inadequacies in many of Virginia's schools.
Beyer is chairman of the 23-member Commission on Educational Infrastructure that is examining ways for the state to help counties and cities.
School construction is primarily a local responsibility in Virginia, but Beyer said the state needs to find "creative solutions'' to help localities.
A recent state Department of Education report showed that nearly two-thirds of the schools in the state need major renovations or replacement. Nearly one-third of all classrooms are overcrowded, and an estimated 7,900 new classrooms will be needed in the next five years.
"You're talking about a lot of money to meet the school building needs in Virginia, and I'm not sure the state is going to provide enough to make that much difference to us," Minnix said. "It would be beautiful if they would, but the proof will be in the pudding."
Among the proposals being considered by the Beyer commission is one that would provide more state money for localities that have high debt payments for school buildings.
Some fast-growing localities spend more than 11 percent of their school budget on repaying bonded debt. About 5 percent of Roanoke County's school budget is earmarked for debt.
The commission also is examining whether the Virginia Public School Authority's $800 million ceiling on low-interest bonds should be raised.
Roanoke County has financed some projects with VPSA bonds, but the state is approaching the ceiling and can't sell more bonds unless it is increased.
The commission is reviewing measures to increase funds for low-interest loans through the Literary Fund for school improvements. The fund was created to help with school construction, but the state has used $362 million of the money for other expenses since 1990.
Roanoke County has used Literary Fund loans for several school projects, but it had to wait several years before the money became available for some projects. The state also has a $5 million-per-project limit on what localities can borrow.
"I wonder how much of this is a real effort to put more emphasis on education and how much is political posturing," Minnix said.
The Beyer commission is composed of legislators, educators and business leaders. It is expected to make recommendations to the 1997 General Assembly about the same time the county finishes its study.
A 22-member committee of county residents, appointed jointly by the School Board and Board of Supervisors, has begun visiting county schools to review the need for improvements.
"They want to see the sites and facilities at all schools before they prioritize the needs," said Marty Robison, assistant superintendent. The committee will visit several schools each week.
School officials expect the committee, which is working with Martin & Associates, a Roanoke Valley architectural and engineering firm, to make recommendations by early next year before work on a new school budget begins.
The recommendations will be submitted to the Board of Supervisors. The supervisors have the option of holding a bond referendum or paying for the school improvements with VPSA bonds and Literary Fund loans if available.
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