Voters support school funding proposals

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Posted 7:02AM on Wednesday, March 20, 2002

Despite lingering concerns about the economy, residents at the polls strongly favored 1-cent sales tax proposals to support school improvement projects. Voters in 33 school districts across Georgia decided on billions of dollars worth of local option sales taxes and bonds on Tuesday for school construction, renovation and equipment. Fulton Schools officials and parents celebrated a victory - voters agreed to give the penny sales tax another five-year run. ``I'm really pleased that taxpayers in Fulton have made that call,'' said Ron Jackson, vice president of the Fulton Board of Education. ``It really is a good way to fund schools. It gives us the opportunity to keep up with the growth and pay as we go. We're not going to have to raise taxes that's the main thing.'' Citizens for SPLOST II, a grass-roots coalition of PTAs throughout Fulton and Atlanta, rallied to support the district's request for $670 million in sales taxes for capital improvements. Plans include building nine new schools, renovating and expanding others, replacing aging buses, improving technology and clearing debts. Voters in Lowndes County approved, by a 2-1 margin, a five-year extension of a 1-cent sales tax that is expected to produce more than $100 million for schools in the county and Valdosta school districts. ``Five years from now, we are going to see a school system that is a shining star,'' said Lowndes County school superintendent Thomas E. Hagler. In Henry County, south of Atlanta, voters overwhelmingly approved the five-year extension of a 1-cent sales tax for school construction and renovation, and officials estimated that the tax would produce $130 million. The money will be used to build a new high school, two middle schools, five elementary schools and for renovations and technology upgrades at several existing schools in the rapidly growing suburban county. Voters in DeKalb County also favored extending their 1-cent sales tax for another five years. Some of the money raised will go toward school construction. County schools would get nearly $525 million, with $14.4 million for Decatur schools and $21.2 million for Atlanta schools in DeKalb. About 80 percent of the voters in Laurens County approved extending a 1 cent sales tax that is expected to provide $45 million for county and Dublin city schools in the next five years. Voters in Bulloch and Coweta counties approved similar extensions. In Murray County, in northwest Georgia, 85 percent of voters favored continuing for five years a 1-cent sales tax expected to produce about $20 million for capital improvements. Oconee County voters were even more favorable, as nearly 90 percent of those voting were in favor of a five-year continuation of a 1-cent sales tax. The money will be used to build a new high school. Marietta voters rejected a $15.2 million school construction bond. The money would have been used to build a new elementary school and reduce trailer classrooms in the city school system. Stephens County voters approved by nearly 2-1 a five-year continuation of a 1 percent sales tax. While Pulaski County voters approved extending their 1-cent sales tax, with 70 percent in favor. In Dougherty County, 80 percent of those voting approved continuing a 1-cent sales tax, with revenue not to exceed $95 million. Plans include building three elementary schools and four high schools. More than 80 percent of Worth County voters were in favor of extending the county's 1-cent sales tax, which is expected to produce $9.1 million over five years. The money will be used to add classroom space and to buy equipment.