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How Pennies Are Spent

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By RONNIE BLAIR, The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 17, 2007

WESLEY CHAPEL - Their goal was to make sure Penny for Pasco money is being spent properly.

But members of an oversight committee also picked up a few construction tips Tuesday as they toured three schools where the sales tax is being put to use.

Take, for example, the importance of air conditioning even before the work is complete.

New River Elementary, a school under construction in Wesley Chapel, is on the cusp of getting electricity. That's important because the air conditioning needs to be turned on to dry out the building before ceiling tiles and flooring are installed, said John Petrashek, the district's director of new construction.

Otherwise, there would be too much moisture for the materials to adhere properly.

The teaching moments didn't stop there. Committee members who thought the New River media center was too small learned that state regulations determine how large a media center and every other part of a school can be.

The state uses a formula that is based on how many students the school is built for, Petrashek said. The school district can't build beyond what is allowed by the formula.

'Wow. Learning a lot today,' committee member Amye Cox said.

New River Elementary was the last stop Tuesday for the Penny for Pasco Oversight Committee, a group of residents appointed by the Pasco County School Board to monitor activities and make sure money from the tax is spent appropriately.

Penny for Pasco was an initiative to raise the sales tax from 6 cents to 7 cents. In March 2004, voters approved the increase, which will remain in effect for 10 years.

Proceeds are divided among several government entities. The school district gets a 45 percent share to build new schools and repair or renovate old ones. Another 45 percent goes to the county commission, and 10 percent gets split among Pasco's municipalities.

Committee member Bob Bucklin said it is important for the community to know the tax money is being spent efficiently. In his view, it is.

'I'm really impressed with what I see here,' Bucklin said. 'These are hard-working, dedicated, professional people.'

In addition to New River, the committee also visited Stewart Middle School, an older school in Zephyrhills that is undergoing renovations, and Double Branch Elementary, a school that opened in August in Wesley Chapel.

At Stewart Middle, Principal Jackson 'Buff' Johnson Jr. led the tour. Afterward, Assistant Superintendent Ray Gadd held up a photograph to show what the school looked like before renovations began. Behind him on the wall in the reception area was a rendering of how the finished job will look.

Renovations at Stewart Middle cost about $17 million and, in part, involved knocking down some old buildings and erecting new ones.

With Double Branch and New River, the school district used an architectural design that has been the template for elementary schools in Pasco since Chester Taylor Elementary opened in 1997.

'You will find a number of these throughout the district,' Petrashek said.

The design has been modified over the years, though, as the district has sought input from principals and other school employees to find out what works and what doesn't.

Peggy Lewis, principal of Double Branch, told the committee that her staff and students are pleased with their school.

Double Branch and New River are designed for 762 students each. Double Branch, already nearing capacity with 720 students, was built for about $16 million.

New River, where several months of work remain, will have a price tag of about $19 million, Petrashek said.

'We had extensive site development on this one we didn't on the other,' he said.

New River gave committee members an opportunity to see a school as an unfinished product. They could stare at the wiring and ductwork above the ceilings or ponder how much trouble they would get into if they signed their names in wet cement.

Gadd used the moment to remind the committee of how rising costs have eaten into the district's construction budget.

'When you hear the price of concrete and steel is going up, all you have to do is look around and see how it impacts us,' Gadd said.

New River students are currently housed in portable classrooms at Sand Pine Elementary. They are scheduled to move to their new school in February, although the construction won't be complete until May.

Reporter Ronnie Blair can be reached at (813) 948-4218 or rblair@tampatrib.com.

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