Can LOST win at the polls?
- October 29, 2014
- / Reggie Dogan
- / government
With early voting ending Saturday, the remaining Escambia County voters will go to the polls next Tuesday to cast ballots on the local option sales tax.
The Escambia County School District is banking on the passage of the half-cent sales tax to fund school projects.
A yes vote extends the half-cent sales tax for another decade, starting Jan. 1, 2018.
Among other things, the money would be used to build two new schools, refurbish and expand some more, buy land and improve technology.
First approved in 1997, the half-cent sales tax generated nearly $100 million and was used for 114 projects during its first five years. Some of the projects included the construction of Blue Angels Elementary School, renovations to older schools, expansions, site work and safety improvements.
Voters approved another referendum in 2002. This time, the tax raised $70 million that was spent on 160 projects.
The third round was approved in 2007 for 10 years. In the first six years, it has generated nearly $132 million that has been used on 97 projects.
The district's list of sales tax projects is here.
[caption id="attachment_5682" align="alignleft" width="300"]
A.K. Suter is among several new projects that is made possible by the Local Option Sales Tax.[/caption]
“A new downtown elementary school (Global Learning Academy) was completed in 2011 along with classroom additions to reduce the number of relocatable units (portables) in use at Bellview Elementary, McArthur Elementary, Ransom Middle, and Workman Middle, according to the Escambia County School District website. “Two new schools designed to replace the aging A.K. Suter Elementary School and Ernest Ward Middle School are under construction. Both new schools are funded from the current renewal. A third elementary school to address north county growth projects is in the planning phase.”
As much as the School District stresses the need to extend the sales tax, some critics complain that the money isn’t fairly allocated. They question the renewal of the sales tax, pointing to the number of schools that serve mostly black neighborhoods that have been closed in recent years.
[caption id="attachment_8022" align="alignright" width="300"]
Hallmark Elementary School is among several inner-city schools that closed as part of the district's consolidation plan.[/caption]
The complaint is that the School District is using sales tax revenue to build schools in the outlying, suburban and rural communities at the peril of the inner-city neighborhood schools. The district, for example, closed Hallmark and Allie Yniestra elementary schools and consolidated those students at Global Learning Academy.
School District officials maintain that growth dictates where new schools will be built, and population shifts are away from the city in the northern and western parts of Escambia County.
If approved, the sales tax is anticipated to raise about $20 a year. Escambia Superintendent Malcolm Thomas says the renewal would pay for the next two schools the district needs — a new elementary and middle school to reduce overcrowding at Beulah and Pine Meadow elementaries and to serve the expected arrival of more people working for Navy Federal Credit Union in Beulah.
[caption id="attachment_7970" align="alignleft" width="259"]
A renewal of the sales tax would pay for new schools in Beulah to relieve the influx of families relocating to work at Navy Federal Credit Union[/caption]
The district then plans to move West Florida High School to the Woodham Middle school campus. Woodham students would be rezoned to the new middle school and to Ferry Pass and Ransom middle schools, depending on where they live.
Afterwards, construction would begin on the third new building, an elementary school on the west side to relieve overcrowding at Pleasant Grove and Blue Angels elementaries.
Voters have much to consider before making a decision on the half-cent local option sales tax for Escambia County schools.
Whatever your decision is, don’t miss the chance to make your vote count on Election Day. Get details on how and where to vote in Escambia County here.
A.K. Suter is among several new projects that is made possible by the Local Option Sales Tax.[/caption]
“A new downtown elementary school (Global Learning Academy) was completed in 2011 along with classroom additions to reduce the number of relocatable units (portables) in use at Bellview Elementary, McArthur Elementary, Ransom Middle, and Workman Middle, according to the Escambia County School District website. “Two new schools designed to replace the aging A.K. Suter Elementary School and Ernest Ward Middle School are under construction. Both new schools are funded from the current renewal. A third elementary school to address north county growth projects is in the planning phase.”
As much as the School District stresses the need to extend the sales tax, some critics complain that the money isn’t fairly allocated. They question the renewal of the sales tax, pointing to the number of schools that serve mostly black neighborhoods that have been closed in recent years.
[caption id="attachment_8022" align="alignright" width="300"]
Hallmark Elementary School is among several inner-city schools that closed as part of the district's consolidation plan.[/caption]
The complaint is that the School District is using sales tax revenue to build schools in the outlying, suburban and rural communities at the peril of the inner-city neighborhood schools. The district, for example, closed Hallmark and Allie Yniestra elementary schools and consolidated those students at Global Learning Academy.
School District officials maintain that growth dictates where new schools will be built, and population shifts are away from the city in the northern and western parts of Escambia County.
If approved, the sales tax is anticipated to raise about $20 a year. Escambia Superintendent Malcolm Thomas says the renewal would pay for the next two schools the district needs — a new elementary and middle school to reduce overcrowding at Beulah and Pine Meadow elementaries and to serve the expected arrival of more people working for Navy Federal Credit Union in Beulah.
[caption id="attachment_7970" align="alignleft" width="259"] A renewal of the sales tax would pay for new schools in Beulah to relieve the influx of families relocating to work at Navy Federal Credit Union[/caption]
The district then plans to move West Florida High School to the Woodham Middle school campus. Woodham students would be rezoned to the new middle school and to Ferry Pass and Ransom middle schools, depending on where they live.
Afterwards, construction would begin on the third new building, an elementary school on the west side to relieve overcrowding at Pleasant Grove and Blue Angels elementaries.
Voters have much to consider before making a decision on the half-cent local option sales tax for Escambia County schools.
Whatever your decision is, don’t miss the chance to make your vote count on Election Day. Get details on how and where to vote in Escambia County here.
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