The vote is here — keep a penny per dollar for education or scrap it?
Madison County voters will hit the polls Tuesday to consider renewal of the education special purpose local option sales tax (E-SPLOST). Madison County’s 11 polling places will be open Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Registered voters interested in casting an early ballot can does so through Friday during regular business hours at the county registrar’s office. There will be no early voting Monday.
As of March 8, 136 people had voted in the registrar’s office, with another 115 submitting absentee ballots to the office.
If approved, the tax will be used to continue payments for the Madison County Middle School, as well as to fund renovations at the high school and Comer Elementary School. With approval, local consumers won’t see any change in what they’re taxed on purchases. A “Yes” vote means the taxes will continue as they are.
Superintendent Allen McCannon said it’s important for voters to understand that voting “No” on the SPLOST will put more burden on local property owners. The school system still owes $4.4 million on the construction of the middle school.
According to the school system, a “No” vote will have the following effect on property taxpayers: Those with homes worth $200,000 will see a one-year tax increase of $117, while those with a $100,000 home will see a tax increase of $58.50.
“No revenue from property was used to construct the middle school,” said McCannon. “If the citizens do not vote to continue or renew our SPLOST, the school system will be forced to pay the remaining amount owed on the middle school with property tax dollars. Failure to renew the SPLOST would result in a tax increase on property.”
McCannon also said the renewal of the sales tax will help shift more burden off property taxpayers, since the school board has decided not to renew a bond millage.
“Therefore, a renewed SPLOST vote will result in a reduction in school property taxes,” said McCannon. “The SPLOST revenue will also allow the system to meet the facilities needs at Madison County High School and Comer Elementary.”
Administrators plan to focus on renovating and expanding the core of the high school, which comprises the oldest part of the building, such as the current media center, front office areas, cafeteria and oldest classrooms.
“Replacing the high school core is the top priority,” McCannon said at the school board’s February meeting.
A new addition with 48 classrooms is also planned.
“Everything (being considered) is based on general estimates and is tentative,” McCannon said. “When an organization is doing projects that require major renovations, specific budgets are difficult to create in early planning stages.”
There are also tentative plans for a new high school gymnasium, but McCannon said that would only be considered during “phase II,” after other renovations were complete.
Renovations are also planned for Comer Elementary School, including the construction of a new media center. The current media center would be turned into two classrooms and another new classroom would be constructed, along with modifications to the existing hall and computer lab areas.
The one-cent education SPLOST is separate from the one-cent tax dedicated to county government projects, which was renewed in 2008 and won’t be up for renewal again until 2014.
coorectly in this break. I called. If we all call maybe extra taxes and can pave or gravel more roads. Please post that you called so they can say we did not.