THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
PRESIDENT CLINTON'S COMMITMENT TO REPAIR, RENOVATE, AND RENEW AMERICAS SCHOOLS January 5, 2000
"Today too many of our schools are so old they're falling apart, or so over-crowded students are learning in trailers. Last fall, Congress missed the opportunity to change that. This year, with 53 million children in our schools, Congress must not miss that opportunity again."
--President Clinton, State of the Union Address, 1999
President Clinton's FY2001 Budget demonstrates a strong commitment to investing in school construction and modernization. The FY2001 Budget:
The President's School Modernization Bond proposal provides $24.8 billion in tax credit bonds over two years to modernize up to 6,000 schools. This proposal costs $3.7 billion over five years; expands the Qualified Zone Academy Bonds, a proven success; and is fully paid for in the budget.
This $1.3 billion initiative leverages nearly $7 billion of (approximately 8,300) renovation projects in high-poverty, high-need school districts with little or no capacity to fund urgent repairs. If continued over five years, the program would leverage $34.5 billion, enough to pay for approximately 41,500 renovation projects. Both loans and grants would be made available, with the smaller grant program directed toward the neediest districts.
Nationally, there is an urgent need for school modernization
School Modernization Tax Credit Bond Proposal
This new type of bond -- a tax credit bond -- would provide interest-free financing to help state and local governments pay for school construction and renovation to help address issues of aging facilities and overcrowding. Instead of paying the interest and principal on school construction bonds, the issuer would only be responsible for repaying the principal. The federal government would provide tax credits to the bondholders in lieu of interest payments.
The Administration's proposal would support nearly $25 billion in bonds over the next two years to help states and districts build and modernize up to 6,000 public schools. President Clinton's proposal has an estimated cost of $3.7 billion over five years, and is fully paid for in his budget.
School Renovation Loan and Grant Program
The School Renovation program would provide interest free federal loans and grants to needy school districts to fund urgent renovations. If continued over five years, the program would leverage $34.5 billion, enough to pay for approximately 41,500 renovation projects. The loan program would be targeted to those districts unable to finance the interest cost associated with facilities renovation. The smaller direct grant program would provide direct funding to the needy school districts unable to finance the capital expenditures associated with school renovation. Renovations funded through loans and grants could include repairs to roofs, climate control systems, or plumbing. Loans and grants could also fund school modernization to improve technology capability, if no other source of funds is available.
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