Bill Varian, St. Pete Times

Newcomers who buy homes will pay a greater share of the cost of building classrooms necessitated by their arrival in
Hillsborough County under a plan adopted by commissioners Tuesday.

After nearly two years of study, county commissioners voted 4-3 to enact a two-step increase in the impact fee charged
to new residential development, hiking it by next year by an average $4,000, from $196 today.

The impact fee would grow by $2,000 for an average home of 2,000 to 2,499 square feet for those approved for
construction starting in November. It would climb another $2,000 for homes approved starting in August 2007.
School officials estimate the fee hike could raise as much as $44- million annually toward tackling a projected $198-
million shortfall in what the district says it needs to meet population demands for new schools during the next five years.
"This is a critical piece for us in being able to respond to the needs caused by growth in the county," said school
superintendent MaryEllen Elia.

The sharply divided board took comment from a dozen residents, all but one of whom pleaded with them to take action.
Some noted that the impact fee hike is only part of the solution and that government officials likely will need to take more
steps to keep up with rising student enrollment.

"It's really like giving them a shovel when they need a backhoe," said Barbara Hammock, who has an 11th-grader at
Plant City High School.

School officials have been telling the commissioners for months that they had a more than $400-million shortfall to keep
up with construction needs through the next five years. The number shrank by half, partly thanks to unexpected
legislative approval of extra state money to deal with voter-mandated smaller class sizes.

Still, some commissioners continued to question whether the money was really needed, with Brian Blair proposing to
raise impact fees by the full $4,000 per home, but starting next August in order to see if the state provides more
construction money. After much jockeying, that proposal died on a 3-4 vote with Commissioners Ronda Storms and
Chairman Jim Norman joining Blair.

Commissioner Mark Sharpe, saying he overcame initial skepticism about the need, proposed accepting the compromise
crafted by builders and the school district that was ultimately approved. Blair, Norman and Storms voted against it.
"It's time for developers and newcomers to this county to pay their fair share," said Commissioner Kathy Castor.
Commissioner Ken Hagan withheld comment to the end, leaving the audience to wonder how he would decide. He has
been facing heat from constituents in northwest Hillsborough whose children have been ripped from their neighborhood
schools by revised boundaries designed to address overcrowding.

"We've postponed this increase long enough," he said.

Commissioners left open the possibility of forgoing the second half of the hike if state increases in spending make it
unnecessary.