Who supported the school bond referendum? And who didn't?

Areas in southern Beaufort County that supported the public schools' bond referendum two years ago didn't show the same enthusiasm for building new schools in this year's referendum.

In 2006, all precincts in Sun City Hilton Head and Hilton Head Island supported borrowing $44 million to build three new schools -- two in Bluffton and one in Beaufort. But on Saturday, only one Sun City precinct supported the district's $162.7 million bond issue, which will bring two new elementary schools and two new early learning centers to Bluffton.

On Hilton Head Island, 12 of 28 precincts supported the proposal; in Bluffton 11 of 13 did.

Voters gave a narrow nod of approval in Saturday's referendum, with the bond proposal passing by 420 votes.

On Saturday, the trend was different in northern Beaufort County, where more precincts supported the proposal than did in 2006. More than a dozen precincts north of the Broad River supported Saturday's proposal. In 2006, only one did.

George Wilson, who represents Sun City on the school board, isn't sure why voters from his district oppose the building program. Wilson said he and Beaufort County Schools Superintendent Valerie Truesdale visited with Sun City residents on three different occasions before the vote to talk up the proposal.

"We kept hearing about illegal immigrants," he said, referring to some voters' beliefs that the schools are overcrowded because of illegal immigrants. "We have to educate these students by law," he said, explaining that the school district is obligated to educate all children regardless of immigration status.

On Saturday, some voters said they didn't support this year's measure because the district hasn't finished some of the projectsapproved in 2006.

Board member Joan Deery, who represents part of Hilton Head, was surprised so many island residents said no to the referendum. The results suggest there's a lack of trust between the district and the public that needs to be addressed, she said.

Deery is confident that Truesdale, who has had her job since July, will monitor and complete the projects that were approved and will regain the public's trust.

"The fact that it passed at all has everything to do with Dr. Truesdale," she said. "With a new sheriff in town, there should not be a lack of trust."

Board Chairman Fred Washington said the district did a good job of researching and answering the public's questions, which might have led to more votes in northern Beaufort County.

The close margin, however, came as no surprise to him, he said. It's hard for people to vote yes when they're in a tough spot financially.

"One reason I expected it to be close was the economic situation," he said.