A longer school tax?

Last year, the school district persuaded voters to approve a half-cent sales-tax increase to raise $560 million over six years for construction. Less than a year later, Superintendent Art Johnson says the district may need to extend the tax.

"There is not a reason why we can't go back to the public," he told the school board last month. Dr. Johnson is right, so far. And one of his most important jobs over the next five years is to make sure that the district's construction efforts don't create a reason why the school board can't go back to the public.

Construction plans are ambitious. The district will build, rebuild or renovate more than 100 schools. In any program that extensive, there are bound to be overruns and mistakes -- as well as opportunities for the district to save money through innovation. The recent record has been good. The referendum's expression of public trust increased pressure to maintain that record at the same time as new factors make it harder to build schools on budget and on time.

The price of concrete, steel and other basic construction commodities is increasing rapidly as other markets, such as China, compete for scarce resources. No doubt the rebuilding in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and the Panhandle after Hurricane Katrina only will make matters more challenging. Storm reconstruction also will increase competition for crews and equipment to do the work.

The rising cost of land is another factor. For example, the district just found that it has been outbid for land it needs to keep its promise to expand Boca Raton High School. Acquiring that land, perhaps through eminent domain, could increase the $4 million cost by another million or more.

The public and business leaders, who played a key role in passing the sales tax increase, understand that some rising costs will be beyond the district's control. They also understand that unexpected growth in some areas could require alterations to the plan. The district, however, doesn't have a blank check to increase costs. Student growth this year was less than expected. And "bonus" taxes from rising property values will give the district an estimated $143 million extra over the next five years.

If the district thinks that it might need to come back to the public to reauthorize the sales-tax increase in five years, it will have to show that its construction track record provides every reason to do so.