After last May's crushing defeat of the 6.25-mill operating-permanent improvements levy, Superintendent of Schools Melissa Conrath is understandably reluctant to be too optimistic.

Still, she acknowledged on Monday that she has heard little criticism of the "no new millage" bond issue that will be on the ballot next Tuesday.

Even many who opposed the spring ballot issue seem to be have a more accepting view of this one, she said.

"I think people understand the need and the way it is being financed and think it's a good solution for everyone," Conrath said Monday.

The need, according to school officials, is to raise $37.5-million over five years for capital improvements. Those include repairs of facilities and replacement of buses, computers and furnishings.

If voters approve next week, the district will issue bonds as current bonds are retired or refinanced. Residents' tax bills will not increase, but they will not decrease as quickly as they would without approval of the bond issue.

Currently, residents pay 3.6 mills for capital improvements. That amounts to approximately $116 a year for the owner of a $100,000 house.

If the bond issue is not approved, the amount will decrease until 2014, when the bond debt will be paid off.

If the bond issue is approved, taxes will decrease more slowly, and the owner of that $100,000 house will still be paying 2 mills -- approximately $70 a year -- in 2014.

The debt would continue to decrease slowly until it is paid off in 2026.

"The tax rate will never go above what you are paying now," Conrath said. "It will cost you, it just won't be adding to your current bill."

If approved, approximately $18-million of the funds raised will go toward repairs and renovations of district buildings and property. Projects on the "to-do" list include replacement of roofs, carpet, lighting, heating and cooling systems and lockers. Most of the district's parking lots would be repaved.

Another $3-million would be used to replace 40 buses over the next five years. No buses have been purchased in the past three years, and 20 of the district's 81 buses are more than 15 years old.

Most of the district's 3,400 computers would be replaced, new software purchased, and a single PC platform would be established with approximately $3-million of the bond issue money.

Most of the current computers cannot support the sofware that students need to use, according to school officials.

The rest of the funds would go toward the purchase of furniture or into a contingency fund.

School officials also point out that passage of the bond issue would reduce spending from the operating budget by $10-million over the next five years.

That means the next operating levy, which will probably face voters next year, will be approximately 1 mill less in size, according to district treasurer Jonathan Boyd.

There has been no organized opposition to the bond issue, though several residents questioned the spending plan at recent forums.

Resident Cal Taylor pointed out that the May issue would have raised approximately $11.5-million for capital improvements, while the one on next week's ballot would raise $37.5-million -- an increase of 229 percent.

The May request would have raised less than is actually needed, according to Conrath, who said last week that the request was based on "what was palatable to voters."

Taylor and other have also questioned the need for some projects, such as paving all of the district's parking lots, and suggested the district separate "needs" from "wants."

At a public forum on Oct. 12, resident Mike Alfred said that he wished his driveway looked as good as some of the district blacktop that is scheduled to be replaced.