New Lexington High School Awaiting SOI Feedback In Tough Times

While Lexington town meeting supported rebuilding of a building at Westview cemetery, and reconsidered a plan to build a regional police firing range, the Lexington school committee awaits word from the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) on Lexington's Statement of Interest (SOI) to reconstruct Lexington High School. In the near term is a plan to rebuild Lexington's police station, and resolve the empty Hosmer House which sits adjacent and for which the town has invested thousands of dollars seeking some final resolution.

It's unclear how much the new Lexington High School will cost taxpayers. Costs for high schools have been escalating, and our analysis suggests that recent high schools are costing about $130,000 per pupil, which could put the total figure around $400 million dollars. Citizens are hopeful the MSBA will continue its consistent support for the Lexington public schools, which has struggled to keep in front of a steadily increasing school population.

Neighboring Belmont and Arlington each have recent high schools in process. Arlington High School, designed for only 1755 students, is estimated to cost $291 million or $165,812 per student. For comparison, Lexington has about 2,250 LHS students and continues to grow. Progressive zoning measures proposed by Lexington's Planning Board might further increase population density and enrollment.

Unfortunately, a proposed new high school comes at a difficult time with the Covid-19 pandemic. State finances will be under significant pressure with a decline in income tax, sales tax, and lottery sales. One percent of the 6.25% state sales tax is earmarked for school construction funds through the MSBA.

The Massachusetts Department of Revenue May 2020 report indicates that sales and use tax revenue have declined 25% year-over-year, portending a significant hit to MSBA funding. Perhaps the MSBA will be able to keep funding at comparable levels if fewer projects are proposed by now cash-strapped municipalities. (Even Brookline, which has a high school project in process, has laid off hundreds of teachers and reportedly ended many programs.)

Lexington is receiving a 36% reimbursement for construction of Maria Hastings Elementary School, amounting to about $17 million (note: not every element of a project is reimbursable). For a $400 million project, the state reimbursement could contribute $100 million, still leaving a $300 million price tag to divide among 12,000 households, or $25,000 per household.

At present, Massachusetts sales tax does not extend to clothing and shoes, items which are commonly taxed in other states. However, with retailers hurt by Covid-19, it seems unlikely the state will be able to make up for revenue shortfalls in the near future.

For now, residents will have to wait an see whether the Lexington High School SOI is approved, where and how the high school will be rebuilt, and how much it will cost. And for the Covid-19 pandemic to pass too.