Voters approve $800 million in bonds for Broward public schools

Money to be used to renovate, repair aging school district

BROWARD COUNTY, Fla. – Voters approved $800 million in bonds for Broward County Public Schools to invest in the district.

Seventy-four percent of voters voted in favor for the bonds to be issued, while 26 percent voted against it.

The bond money will be used to renovate and repair Broward's aging school district, upgrade its safety and security systems and purchase thousands of new computers and educational technology.

Broward Schools Superintendent Robert Runcie cast his ballot early Tuesday morning at his precinct in Sunrise. He's been lobbying hard to get this bond passed, explaining to taxpayers that the average age of the buildings in the district is 27 years old.

There's also a 5-to-1 student to computer ratio, which is one of the highest in the state. And now, tax payers will be paying about $125 less in school taxes than they were paying seven years ago.

"This is our opportunity in Broward County to invest in public education," said Runcie. "There's been dramatic cuts in public education is the last several years and as a result our taxpayers in Broward County have been paying less and less into education each year."

For some, the biggest obstacle facing the district is trust. And with its history of corruption and mismanagement in the construction department, some tax payers are not sure whether the district will spend the money wisely.

Broward County Question - Bonds For School Facilities Improvements