SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. -- Seminole County's penny sales tax is about to expire and county leaders say they may not try to extend it, but the school district says that tax provides money it can't live without. Now it's pushing its own sales tax of a half-cent.

The district says it can get more money out of the half-cent than it got out of the whole penny.

Right now, schools get a quarter of a cent for every dollar spent. The new plan would give them half a cent, doubling revenue. The district argues extending the tax when it expires at the end of next year is essential for improving schools.

Casselberry Elementary School’s old-fashioned campus is spread out with many entrances. The school district said it is among the schools it would renovate with new security and technology if voters extended the tax.

“Would you approve something like that?” WFTV reporter George Spencer asked parent Axel Resto.

“Definitely, yeah, because my kids are involved,” he said.

Resto says he'd eagerly support ten more years, but in this economy Seminole County and its cities are hesitant to ask for it. So, the district may ask voters on its own even if the county and cities let their portion expire.

As things stand now, Seminole County itself gets the equivalent of half of every penny in the tax. Seminole County cities split one quarter and the school district gets the remaining quarter. But the district's new plan would give it half a penny of every dollar all to itself.

That change would increase the $130 million the district has raised from the tax over the past ten years to about $250 million over the next ten years to be used only for capital improvements.

“You think voters will support this?” Spencer asked Dr. Bill Vogel, Seminole County School District.

“Yes, I do. It’s not a new tax. It's a continuation,” he said.

The penny sales tax referendum passed pretty easily in 1991 and in 2001, but this time may require more convincing. The district's pushing the extension as good for kids and construction jobs.

“Not only will it help us complete badly-needed projects, but it’s an economic stimulus for Seminole County and Central Florida,” Vogel said.

It's hard to find anyone who'll speak on-camera against the half-cent extension. Of the dozen people Eyewitness News spoke to, the main concern heard was about making sure the money was spent where it was supposed to be spent.

The district is pursuing this now because the issue would need to get on either an August or a November ballot.

Many of you are already paying a higher sales tax. The state's sales tax is 6-percent, but counties have the option to add to it. Brevard County does not charge extra sales tax. Lake County adds a penny. So does Osceola. Volusia County and Orange County add half a penny. The money in those counties is also used partly for school construction and renovations.