Schools call for next round of E-SPLOST
The three school systems in Jackson County have called for a vote in March 2011 on another round of sales tax funding for education.
If approved by voters, the Education Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (E-SPLOST) could bring in up to $100 million in education funds for the three school systems to share over a five-year period, starting in 2012.
This penny sales tax, however, is different from another round of SPLOST funding approved by voters in November. That SPLOST is expected to provide an estimated $47.5 million for Jackson County and its cities over a six-year period.
And like the other SPLOST for the county and city governments, the E-SPLOST is largely earmarked to pay off existing debt.
“We know — and our community knew — that the SPLOST is going to be very important to us — as far as paying off the bonds,” said James “Mac” McCoy, superintendent of the Commerce City School System. “That’s the number one priority for us.”
Overall, the proposed E-SPLOST calls for a majority of the funds — up to $53 million among the three school systems in Jackson County — to be used to pay off debt.
With the most students, the Jackson County School System is slated to receive up to $62.6 million of the E-SPLOST. Of that, a maximum of $30 million will be earmarked to paying outstanding debt issued through 2005 general obligation bonds.
Those bonds helped fund the construction of three new schools — East Jackson Comprehensive High School, Kings Bridge Middle School and Gum Springs Elementary School — and renovations and additions at other schools in recent years.
The current E-SPLOST was also intended to raise up to a maximum of $100 million for the three school systems. It expires in 2012.
But Jackson County Board of Education chairperson Kathy Wilbanks said in an e-mail Friday that she doesn’t expect the current E-SPLOST to raise the maximum of $62 million for the district. Instead, that figure is likely to be around $35 million for the Jackson County School System’s share of the E-SPLOST funds.
The school systems also intentionally set the estimated revenue high for the E-SPLOST, she explained.
“It is set very high to make sure that we will continue to collect throughout the full five years,” Wilbanks wrote. “If you set the amount low and the economy picks up, the max could be reached before the five years is up.”
And if voters approve the next round of E-SPLOST funding, the Jefferson and Commerce city school systems also plan to pay off a portion of their debts.
For the Jefferson City School System, a total of $24.5 million has been estimated for the district — with a maximum of $16.3 million for pay down several series of bonds.
Those bonds include the 2004 general obligation bonds, the 2005A and 2005B general obligation bonds and the 2011 general obligation bonds — which the Jefferson Board of Education on Thursday called for a referendum on March 15, 2011, the same date of the E-SPLOST vote.
The 2011 general obligation bonds, if approved by voters, would fund a new, second gym at Jefferson High School; a new academic building and new kitchen at JHS; and a new academic wing at Jefferson Elementary School that would include a new kitchen and cafeteria, and the conversion of the existing cafeteria into classrooms.
John Jackson, superintendent of the Jefferson City School System, said the proposed changes are needed at the schools, which have become too small for the growing student population.
“The high school is getting close to 800 (students) and the projection is 1,000,” he said.
The existing gym at JHS is 60 years old and the cafeteria at JES can’t fit enough students at one time to accommodate lunch periods, which start at 10:20 a.m. and extend until 1 p.m., Jackson said.
With 2,750 students, the Jefferson City School System is expected to grow to 3,000 students — despite a recent slow down in student population figures.
“But with the housing slow down, our growth isn’t as rapid,” Jackson said.
Passage of the 2011 general obligation bonds — which would, in part, be funded by the next round of E-SPLOST funding — would keep the bond tax rate for the Jefferson City School System the same, according to board chairman Ronnie Hopkins.
“The way the numbers work out, the new SPLOST with an increased amount, together with the bond tax that we presently have — the rate that we presently have — we feel that if everything stays the same, we would be to make all of this happen, at least for the first 2-5 years, with no tax increase to the voters on the bonds.” Hopkins said. “It would be paid out of the new SPLOST together with the bond rate that we presently have. So it would be no it would be no increase to the voters, provided that we pass this and we pass the SPLOST.”
The $25 million in 2011 general obligation bonds would be funded by $6.1 million in an interest-free bond from the state, $18.9 million from the E-SPLOST and $1.1 million in state capital outlay funding for the additional classrooms at JHS.
Also included in the proposed E-SPLOST is the payment of three other bond series for the Jefferson City School System.
Those bonds have been used to build Jefferson Academy, partially fund the Performing Arts Center at JHS, and refinance previous bonds that were used to build and expand Jefferson Middle School and renovate JES, according to Jackson.
For the Commerce City School System, the proposed E-SPLOST will fund a total of $12.7 million, including $7.2 million to pay off debt.
That debt includes a portion of the 2007 and 2009 general obligation bonds, which were used to build a new Commerce High School, a new track at Commerce Middle School and upgrades at other facilities, according to superintendent McCoy.
OTHER PROJECTS
Besides paying off existing debt, the three school systems in Jackson County have identified a number of other potential projects to be funded by the proposed E-SPLOST.
The language that will be put before voters on March 15, 2011, includes a long list of potential spending categories — such as land acquisition — but doesn’t include specific details.
All of the districts plan to use E-SPLOST money to fund new buses and vehicles, buying textbooks and band equipment, technology upgrades and funding a portion of the Athens-based Rutland Academy, which provides psychoeducational services for schools in Northeast Georgia.
The Jackson County School System also wants to use its E-SPLOST funds to build a fourth middle school — possibly in the northwestern portion of the county. The Jefferson City School System has planned expansion or renovation projects at JHS and JES, while the Commerce City School System wants to replace its heating and air conditioning systems at Commerce Elementary School and Commerce Primary School.
This penny sales tax, however, is different from another round of SPLOST funding approved by voters in November. That SPLOST is expected to provide an estimated $47.5 million for Jackson County and its cities over a six-year period.
And like the other SPLOST for the county and city governments, the E-SPLOST is largely earmarked to pay off existing debt.
“We know — and our community knew — that the SPLOST is going to be very important to us — as far as paying off the bonds,” said James “Mac” McCoy, superintendent of the Commerce City School System. “That’s the number one priority for us.”
Overall, the proposed E-SPLOST calls for a majority of the funds — up to $53 million among the three school systems in Jackson County — to be used to pay off debt.
With the most students, the Jackson County School System is slated to receive up to $62.6 million of the E-SPLOST. Of that, a maximum of $30 million will be earmarked to paying outstanding debt issued through 2005 general obligation bonds.
Those bonds helped fund the construction of three new schools — East Jackson Comprehensive High School, Kings Bridge Middle School and Gum Springs Elementary School — and renovations and additions at other schools in recent years.
The current E-SPLOST was also intended to raise up to a maximum of $100 million for the three school systems. It expires in 2012.
But Jackson County Board of Education chairperson Kathy Wilbanks said in an e-mail Friday that she doesn’t expect the current E-SPLOST to raise the maximum of $62 million for the district. Instead, that figure is likely to be around $35 million for the Jackson County School System’s share of the E-SPLOST funds.
The school systems also intentionally set the estimated revenue high for the E-SPLOST, she explained.
“It is set very high to make sure that we will continue to collect throughout the full five years,” Wilbanks wrote. “If you set the amount low and the economy picks up, the max could be reached before the five years is up.”
And if voters approve the next round of E-SPLOST funding, the Jefferson and Commerce city school systems also plan to pay off a portion of their debts.
For the Jefferson City School System, a total of $24.5 million has been estimated for the district — with a maximum of $16.3 million for pay down several series of bonds.
Those bonds include the 2004 general obligation bonds, the 2005A and 2005B general obligation bonds and the 2011 general obligation bonds — which the Jefferson Board of Education on Thursday called for a referendum on March 15, 2011, the same date of the E-SPLOST vote.
The 2011 general obligation bonds, if approved by voters, would fund a new, second gym at Jefferson High School; a new academic building and new kitchen at JHS; and a new academic wing at Jefferson Elementary School that would include a new kitchen and cafeteria, and the conversion of the existing cafeteria into classrooms.
John Jackson, superintendent of the Jefferson City School System, said the proposed changes are needed at the schools, which have become too small for the growing student population.
“The high school is getting close to 800 (students) and the projection is 1,000,” he said.
The existing gym at JHS is 60 years old and the cafeteria at JES can’t fit enough students at one time to accommodate lunch periods, which start at 10:20 a.m. and extend until 1 p.m., Jackson said.
With 2,750 students, the Jefferson City School System is expected to grow to 3,000 students — despite a recent slow down in student population figures.
“But with the housing slow down, our growth isn’t as rapid,” Jackson said.
Passage of the 2011 general obligation bonds — which would, in part, be funded by the next round of E-SPLOST funding — would keep the bond tax rate for the Jefferson City School System the same, according to board chairman Ronnie Hopkins.
“The way the numbers work out, the new SPLOST with an increased amount, together with the bond tax that we presently have — the rate that we presently have — we feel that if everything stays the same, we would be to make all of this happen, at least for the first 2-5 years, with no tax increase to the voters on the bonds.” Hopkins said. “It would be paid out of the new SPLOST together with the bond rate that we presently have. So it would be no it would be no increase to the voters, provided that we pass this and we pass the SPLOST.”
The $25 million in 2011 general obligation bonds would be funded by $6.1 million in an interest-free bond from the state, $18.9 million from the E-SPLOST and $1.1 million in state capital outlay funding for the additional classrooms at JHS.
Also included in the proposed E-SPLOST is the payment of three other bond series for the Jefferson City School System.
Those bonds have been used to build Jefferson Academy, partially fund the Performing Arts Center at JHS, and refinance previous bonds that were used to build and expand Jefferson Middle School and renovate JES, according to Jackson.
For the Commerce City School System, the proposed E-SPLOST will fund a total of $12.7 million, including $7.2 million to pay off debt.
That debt includes a portion of the 2007 and 2009 general obligation bonds, which were used to build a new Commerce High School, a new track at Commerce Middle School and upgrades at other facilities, according to superintendent McCoy.
OTHER PROJECTS
Besides paying off existing debt, the three school systems in Jackson County have identified a number of other potential projects to be funded by the proposed E-SPLOST.
The language that will be put before voters on March 15, 2011, includes a long list of potential spending categories — such as land acquisition — but doesn’t include specific details.
All of the districts plan to use E-SPLOST money to fund new buses and vehicles, buying textbooks and band equipment, technology upgrades and funding a portion of the Athens-based Rutland Academy, which provides psychoeducational services for schools in Northeast Georgia.
The Jackson County School System also wants to use its E-SPLOST funds to build a fourth middle school — possibly in the northwestern portion of the county. The Jefferson City School System has planned expansion or renovation projects at JHS and JES, while the Commerce City School System wants to replace its heating and air conditioning systems at Commerce Elementary School and Commerce Primary School.
Iknow splost doesn't pay salaries but it does allow the freedom to put that money toward a project that without the splost dollars would hAve to come out of the funds that pay salaries thus allowing them to keep their check intact. This is our voice to say to our bored of education bring central office in line get rid of some of the clinger ons. Please don't fall for that crap that our kids have to have it we have one in place now and the only thing to show is high administrative salaries too many doing the same job while we don't have books enough janitors band funds cut on and on and on. The ones that gain the most with the passage of this splost will be the higher paid ones that will keep their jobs. I realize the state has a lot to do with how central office is paid and the number of people that hang out in central office but it's time the board said we can't do this anymore and that you being the state can't force us because you don't have the funds to back up the rules you forced on us. If our kids needs were being met I wouldn't writing this but I won't support this splost and will work as hard as I can against it until our children are put first and not some worthless positions at central office with ridiculous salary are brought in line with our economy
That said, our schools NEED these funds. Trust me, if the schools didn't get these funds, they would not cut teacher or admins salaries to pay for these projects. They probably just wouldn't get done for the time being. That would not be fair to the students. The fact is - the state does not fund our school systems adequately. We HAVE to look elsewhere for funding, and E-SPLOST is what we have.
People who don't like to pay taxes to support causes like education baffle me. They are usually the first to complain that our schools don't perform up to standards, but when it comes to pulling their weight money-wise to support schools that are trying to raise the bar, they start complaining that they are over taxed.