Friday, June 10, 2005

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Voters head to the polls Tuesday for school referendum

By JOHN THOMPSON
jthompson@TheCitizenNews.com

Coweta County Board of education members have their fingers crossed as voters head to the polls Tuesday.

The only item on Tuesday’s ballot is an extension of the current Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax for Education (ELOST) from June 2007 until June 2012.

If the measure is approved approved, the school system estimates collections could amount to $130 million over 5 years. The penny sales tax would fund:

• Three new elementary schools.

• One new middle school.

• Three ninth-grade campuses for the high schools.

• New buses to replace aging vehicles and expand the fleet.

• Classroom expansions.

• Improvements and upgrades at existing schools.

• Land purchases for new schools.

• Technology and Equipment.

The tax would also allow the school board to issue up to $58 million in Revenue Bonds to pre-fund a number of the projects listed above, including two new elementary schools, the ninth-grade campuses, an addition to Eastside Elementary, and other improvements to existing schools before the ELOST begins. This would allow construction to begin sooner than 2007.

Supporters who favor the extension said that Coweta schools are growing an average of 700 students per year.

Superintendent Blake Bass and school system staff conducted a needs assessment to determine a list of needs for the proposed ELOST. The needs assessment included information from Coweta County government, City of Newnan and other city governments, information from school principals and staff and input from citizens.