SPRINGFILED – Voters in Livingston Parish rejected a proposal Saturday that would have funded a new high school in Springfield and upgrades to schools in Albany.

One proposal would have approved a $14 million dollar bond issue that would go toward building a new school on land already owned by the Livingston Parish school system. That measure was defeated 829 votes to 436 votes.

Right now temporary buildings house 19 classrooms across the three schools in the Springfield area. Enrollment numbers have also continued to grow as Springfield High projects 405 students for next year, according to Principal Spencer Harris.

"We're overcrowded at the elementary levels, middle school and here at the high school. So we're just in dire need of expanding in a fourth school," he said.

The 36.25 mills property tax would have been paid by property owners over the next 20 years. Someone with a $150,000 home would have paid $271.88 a year after homestead exemption.

Voters also rejected a similar bond issue for updates to Albany Middle and High schools.

Right now the upper and lower elementary schools share the same cafeteria making it difficult to schedule daily activities.