Impact fees are charged on new-home construction.
The district began charging impact fees when student enrollment was growing by thousands each year.
Money from impact fees has allowed the district to catch up with the one-time escalating population and home growth. The fees are used to build new schools and to upgrade existing facilities.
But, as enrollment is projected to decline by about 200 students next year and the housing industry slumps, Hughes questioned whether it still was fair to charge new homeowners. 'Are we using (the money) in the proper way?' Hughes asked the board. 'Is what we are doing a fair and equitable way of collecting additional revenues? I think it's necessary that we have a public discussion about this, and try to understand what we are trying to achieve and what we think we should be doing.' Board members Robert Jordan, Amy Kneessy and Barbara Murray agreed that the discussion should be delayed for several months until the election season ends, and district staff has time to worry about budget concerns, as the district faces a $37.4 million cut to its operating fund.
But board Chairwoman Janice Kershaw said she'd like to see more research on the issue. 'We have to deal with reality,' Jordan said. 'And for us not to take the impact (fee) is, to me, not the right thing to do, when we are in such dire straits,' due to cuts in state funding. 'We still have to give a quality education,' Jordan said. 'We have to protect our kids, because nobody else does.' Superintendent Richard DiPatri also said halting the impact fees wouldn't be helpful now, because student enrollment still is growing in some areas, such as Palm Bay and Viera.
Two new schools -- high school 'CCC' and a to-be-determined middle school -- still must be built in Palm Bay within the next 10 years, and nearly all Viera-area elementary schools are approaching or surpassing maximum capacity. 'If we had lost 2,000 students, I might feel that way,' he said. 'But the numbers are in small decline.' The board also has promised to renovate all older schools and upgrade technology standards at all schools, and all of those efforts are partially funded by impact fees.
Kneessy worried that Hughes -- who is running as a Democratic candidate for Brevard County property appraiser -- was turning the discussion into an election issue. 'I suggest we wait until after Aug. 26 (the day of the primary election), so there's no question on the motivation of this issue,' said Kneessy, who is running for the re-election of her school board seat. 'Should we have no board meetings then?' Hughes asked Kneessy. 'Should we stop doing business until after the election?' 'This is no time for personal attacks,' Kneessy responded.
