While I agree that some districts have built Taj Mahals, your statement is a generalization. For every "expensive, largest, most beautifully maintained and manicured building and grounds in the entire community" there is probably a town where the high school is in an aging facility.
Also, you do realize that this is also a Catch 22? If a school is NOT maintained and grounds are not kept up, there's heck to pay as well. There'd be a long complaint line if our local schools were not well maintained.
Actually, the court houses and social-security administration are better than most of the school buildings. (But not better than the high school football stadiums.)