Fate Of New Bristol-Plymouth Campus Rests On Saturday's Referendum

TAUNTON (CBS) – Residents of Bristol County will decide the fate of a new school complex this weekend.

District officials say the current Bristol-Plymouth Regional Technical High School campus is outdated and too small. They are asking voters to approve a new $305 million campus during a vote on the special referendum Saturday.

Voters in the seven communities, including Taunton, Middleboro and Raynham, would have to pay hundreds of dollars more in taxes if the referendum is approved. The state will pay 40% of the building costs. If the referendum is not approved, officials said the school will still need a major - and costly - renovation.

"The building is not meeting the needs of the students that want to apply," said Superintendent Dr. Alexandre Magalhaes. "We're losing out on some grants that we could apply for for equipment that no longer fit the building."

The current building went up in 1972. If the project is approved, construction will take about eight years to complete.