School bond referendum by the numbers

* Bond referendum: This will be a special election throughout Aiken County and a small portion of Saluda County. If successful, the Aiken County Board of Education would be authorized to issue $236 million for construction or improvements involving seven county schools.

* Why a bond referendum? This is a capital expense and funding is the responsibility of the school district. The district has relied on an annual five-year building plan at no cost to taxpayers for previous new construction. Because of rising construction costs, district officials say the five-year plan is no longer sufficient. They say a bond issue is essential at this time because of low bond rates and lowered construction costs and because of the major facility needs at aging schools.

The Aiken County School Board must get voter approval because the funds sought by the district exceed eight percent of the county's assessed property value - the maximum allowed by the state without voter input.

The Schools:

Aiken High School

* Age - Built in 1955.

* Enrollment - 1,524 (1,200 capacity). 22 mobile classrooms on campus.

* Systems - fire, security, some roofing, kitchen/cafeteria are inadequate.

* Project - With the exception of the gym, built in 1995, the school would be completely rebuilt on the existing campus.

* Cost - $60 million.

Leavelle McCampbell Middle School

* Age - Built in 1928.

* Enrollment - 400 (600 capacity)

* Systems - All inadequate with exception of roof. Gym does not meet Americans with Disabilities Act requirement.

* Project - A new school would be built near the new Byrd Elementary School on land previously donated to the school district.

* Cost - $22 million.

North Augusta High School

* Age - Built 1969, addition in 1992.

* Enrollment - 1,650 (1,200 capacity)

* Systems - Range from inadequate to fair

* Project - A new school would be built at a site to be determined. District administrators say the current facility is overcrowded and is severely limited for expansion by nearing subdivisions and a land dropoff.

Jackson Middle School

* Age - Built in 1955, with 1991 addition.

* Enrollment - 320 (450 capacity)

* Systems - Most are inadequate or need upgrades or replacements.

* Project - Jackson and New Ellenton Middle School would be consolidated into a new middle school on land next to Silver Bluff High School. District administrators say that with an enrollment of less than 200, New Ellenton is too small to retain as a operate school.

* Cost - $24 million.

Ridge Spring-Monetta Elementary/Middle School

* Age - Built in 1952

* Enrollment - 650

* Systems - All are inadequate.

* Project - A new school would be built on the campus of Ridge Spring-Monetta High School to form a K-12 complex. The high school would get some updates. The elementary and middle school faculties would likely share a media center and kitchen, but would be separate from each other and from the high school.

* Cost - $35 million

Aiken County Career and Technology Center

* Age - Built 1966.

* Enrollment - 420.

* Systems - Ranging form adequate to inadequate.

* Project - Facility would get expansion for cafeteria, meeting space, additional programs. RS-M High School and Wagener-Salley High School would get $3 million each to expand their career and technology offerings.

* Cost - Total project is $15 million.

* The condition of systems in the schools – electrical, plumbing, security/fire, roofs, HVAC and kitchen/cafeteria – was originally determined by the M.B. Kahn Construction Co. in a 2008 survey and later evaluated by Aiken County School District personnel.

TAX OBLIGATIONS

* Tax millage - If the bond referendum is approved, the debt millage requirement will increase from 27 mills to 56 mills, but not all at one time. The debt would be paid off over a 20-year period.

* Increases would impact primary residences, rental property,, business property and personal property, such as cars and boats.

The annual tax increase for homeowners' primary residents, taxed at four percent of property value:

Tax value Tax

of property Increase

$50,000 $58

$100,00 $116

$200,000 $232

$400,000 $464

* The annual increases for business and rental property, taxed at 6 percent rate of value:

Tax value Tax

of property Increase

$100,000 $174

$200,000 $358

$400,000 $696