Soaring costs to buy land, build schools take a toll; School officials say '02 sales tax increase is not enough to pay for district's needs.(A SECTION)

Byline: TIFFANY LANKES tiffany.lankes@heraldtribune.com

MANATEE COUNTY -- When voters approved a sales tax increase in 2002, they were told the additional revenue would be enough to pay for 18 new schools and to repair dozens of others.

Now school officials are acknowledging that the almost $25 million a year the tax brings in isn't enough. On Monday, the district will present updated estimates for the cost to complete all the projects included in the sales tax plan.

Administrators were still working on the estimates late Friday afternoon, but finance director Tim McGonegal said project costs have risen by as much as 30 percent, forcing the district to decide …