School District plans to speed up building

Adrienne Packer

Monday, Oct. 18, 1999 | 12:17 p.m.

The Clark County School District plans to accelerate the construction of at least nine schools because of a population increase that exceeded the district's earlier projections.

On Friday, the district took a major step in reaching that construction goal when the county's Debt Management Commission approved the issuing of $675 million in general obligation bonds.

"We had overcrowded schools this year because the enrollment was greater than we had anticipated," said Walt Rulffes, the district's chief financial officer. "The board has accelerated nine schools and asked that we try to accelerate at least two more."

The money is a portion of a $3.5 billion, 10-year capital improvement program approved by voters in November.

Rulffes said under the program, the district plans to build 88 schools and make $900 million worth of renovations to older buildings by 2009. He added however, that the funding needs will likely increase before that date.

"We expect that if the current rate of growth continues, the $3.5 billion program will grow," he said. "Instead of building 88 schools, we'd be looking at building more than 100."

About $900 million of the money devoted to the capital improvement project comes from room taxes and real property transfer taxes. Nearly $3 billion is taken from property taxes, action that voters approved.

Rulffes, who said property taxes will not be effected by the goal to accelerate schools, said the district has not yet been able to dip into the property tax funds approved in November because that money is being used to pay off debts until 2001.

Rulffes refuted critics' claims that the district, which received permission to issue $100 million in general obligation bonds in March, has more money than it can spend.

"It's touch and go in terms of meeting needs," Rulffes said. "We expect increased revenue in 2002, but thereafter we also expect demands for schools to increase."