LEXINGTON COUNTY, S.C. — If you're in Lexington County and haven't cast your ballot yet, you may be voting on the Lexington-Richland Five bond referendum.
According to the district superintendent, Dr. Akil Ross, the bond would fund $240 million in district projects.
"To service the debt on this bond would cost the same. We have structured it through amortization, so if the bond referendum passes or fails, the tax rate is the same," Ross said.
Ross said that this referendum would result in a new borrowing total and long-term debt that would need to be paid off over the next 20 years.
"We've identified over $182 million of needs in our facilities, as well as a need to alleviate the capacity issues that we have in one side of our district," Ross said.
Ross said the bond would allow money to fix things like plumbing and roofing, add advanced security cameras and secure entries, and implement instructional programs about entrepreneurship and AI.
Some voters I spoke with shared their opinions for and against the referendum.
"What we need more of is management, and the money's not being managed right. We don't know where the money's going, and they keep asking for more and more money, and we've got to put a stop to it," voter Michael Sims said.
"There's a lot of schools, like we talked earlier, that are kind of long in the tooth -- that need to have some updating done," voter Ralph Lacomba said. "There's some other schools that have been built with the latest, greatest kind of stuff, and I think the schools around here have been let down a little bit."
Ross said the district would have to reevaluate its needs if the bond doesn't pass and decide which plans won't proceed.
Ross said it's important for voters to research before Election Day.
For more information, visit the bond referendum website.
