Education is one of the most significant undertakings of our society. Everyone, either directly or indirectly, benefits from the education that we choose to provide for our young people. The quality of that education is returned to us via inventions, new businesses and jobs, and improved processes that make goods and services more affordable for us all.

Responsive, responsible government is equally important. For through that government the level of disposable income is established that determines how much money we actually have to spend. The choices that we make after that are ours and ours alone. How much of our earnings are available for our choices? Today approximately 42 percent of each dollar earned goes to taxes. This includes sales taxes, social security taxes, excise taxes, property taxes, and of course school taxes. The list goes on and on.

As responsible citizens we understand that some taxes are essential. We demand police services, representation in our legislative bodies, fire departments, judicial concerns, and education for our young people. These services are not cheap and the costs for these continue to rise each year. Sometimes it is necessary for the citizens to look at the costs of services and the means to fund them. It may become necessary to draw a line that we simply cannot exceed.

Ask yourself, what is a fair tax rate? Is it 42 percent? Or is 52 percent fair? What about 62 or even 82 percent? Where do we stop? When do we draw the line?

A few years ago, Fayette County citizens approved a bond referendum for $58 million to build the south complex with all of the amenities. Today, the board of education is poised to ask Fayette citizens to vote for another bond and/or SPLOST to build more schools. The only problem is that the bond money raised has been spent, the old bonds have not been retired, and more importantly, the schools have not been completed.

Herein lies a major problem and begs numbers of questions. Where did the money raised via bonds go? Why was the south complex not completed? Why are we spending current board of education operational funds to do things that bond money was approved to achieve? Why do we seem to have an ongoing financial crisis within the school system? Is this a classic case of overspending and/or under-planning?

To answer these questions the board of education will readily tell you that the Olympics in 1996 caused the cost to overrun. I say, Why were the Olympics not taken into consideration in the planning of the schools and the bond referendum?

Or, they will tell you that was an old board that created those problems and the newly elected board is addressing the issues. I say, if that is the case, how can you, within months of election, before you can possible assess the predicament, talk of bond referendums and SPLOST? Or how can the board possibly submit a record budget with increases galore? Or maybe they think that the good citizens will bail the school system out for the sake of our children?

The answers are boiler plate. But you and I all know that before we spend more we need more solid answers. How do we know that the new bond referendum will cover the costs of building the schools that the board says we need? Or, will we end with yet more incomplete buildings and no money to pay for the project?

The Fayette County schools are not equally equipped. Some are old facilities in bad need of upgrading. Some have holes in the ceilings and deteriorating walls. Some have toilets that do not flush properly and create a health hazard. Some are new and still have not been completed. Some have modern facilities while others struggle with what they have to complete the day. Some of these inequities exist because of the infighting and jealousy between the areas and the schools. Others exist because the Fayette Board of Education has not updated the facilities effectively and has not lead the charge from a system prospective.

In total, the school system is a mess. Principals have considerable discretionary funds, such that one school may have a sprinkler system and no grass while another has books in lieu of volumes of computers. The PTO/PTSOs are contributors to the inequity as well. One PTSO may purchase a phone system while another is busy producing uniforms for the students for extracurricular activities.

All of these items warrant considerable attention. The schools need to come to a reasonable standard regardless of their location. These schools all need to be maintained consistently and religiously to protect the county's investment in the facilities. We need to explore options that better utilize the buildings that we have before we add to the confusion. We need to examine alternatives within the school system and find ways to reduce the student population without adding new buildings. We need to think better and wiser and exhaust our options before we throw more money as a solution. In short, we need a better plan!

Thus far we know that more money via bonds and taxes has not rendered a solution. Why should we expect some revelation in the future? Personally, I believe that a responsive, responsible government can find ways to produce the things that we, the citizens, need without forcing the tax rate to 46 or 56 percent.

We can choose to lead in this important endeavor or we can follow the path traveled before. For on that path we already know what we will find — more schools, more money, more taxes, and more unresolved issues.

Or, we can choose innovation with reduced costs of operation, and fewer taxes. The choice is clear.

William H. Moon

Fayetteville

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