A tax-raising $90 million bond referendum will be on the November ballot. Lexington District 3 needs the money for school improvements and construction. The Board unanimously opted to pursue it Aug. 7. Local voters will decide Nov. 6 if the district will be able to borrow the money. This decision comes after a similar one by District 1. Its Board has approved a $365 million bond referendum for this fall’s ballot. The money would be used in a 5-year building plan. If the District 3 referendum passes, property taxes will rise this year, but the full effect on taxes won’t be seen until 2020. It would raise taxes about $214 a year for owners of $75,000 homes. That’s $17.83 a month. Plans include upgrading the Batesburg-Leesville Primary School and building a new high school. The new high school would likely be completed by 2022 and the primary school by 2021. A growing student body is why the district says it needs to expand. The high school could accommodate up to 800 students. New classrooms, bathrooms and offices would be added to the elementary school. The cafeteria and media center would be expanded. The buildings themselves are in need of improvement for student safety. Included in plans for the high school are practice fields, a new student parking lot and an “Innovation Studio.”