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Schools continue sales tax push
Laura Thompson
Staff Reporter
With three weeks until Election Day, local educators are getting the word out about a proposed sales tax increase that would provide extra money for school construction in the county.
The Mount Airy City School Board approved a resolution Tuesday night in support of the quarter-cent tax, which will be put to a public referendum Nov. 6.
The tax is expected to generate $1.9 million a year in additional revenue for the county. Surry County commissioners have said about three-quarters of that extra money would go toward construction and improvements for public schools in all three of the county's school systems.
The remaining revenue would be divided among Surry Community College, water and sewer infrastructure, and economic development projects.
The Surry County School Board and the SCC Board of Trustees already have passed similar resolutions.
Wendy Carriker, chairman of the Mount Airy board, said her system would use its share of the tax revenue to finish renovations to Mount Airy High School, including an expanded cafeteria. She estimated the improvements would cost $2.5 million to $3 million.
The school just finished a renovation project using Qualifies Zone Academy Bond (QZAB) funds. But Carriker said those funds can only be used for remodeling, not for additions to the buildings, which is what the school system has in mind.
“We are at a standstill right now because we're looking for funds,” she said.
Superintendent William Steed said the system planned to meet with Parent Teacher Organization leaders to talk about the proposed tax and possibly to send informational phone messages via the ConnectEd system closer to Election Day.
Also Tuesday, Surry County Schools held a meeting at Franklin Elementary School to discuss the potential benefits of the tax revenue with principals and PTO members.
The system plans to build two new schools - an elementary school in the Dobson area and a middle school near Pilot Mountain - in the next few years.
County school officials have said the extra money from the sales tax hike would allow them to build both schools simultaneously, but without the extra revenue they could build only one at a time.
Contact Laura Thompson at lathompson@mtairynews.com, or at 719-1930.
Staff Reporter
With three weeks until Election Day, local educators are getting the word out about a proposed sales tax increase that would provide extra money for school construction in the county.
The Mount Airy City School Board approved a resolution Tuesday night in support of the quarter-cent tax, which will be put to a public referendum Nov. 6.
The tax is expected to generate $1.9 million a year in additional revenue for the county. Surry County commissioners have said about three-quarters of that extra money would go toward construction and improvements for public schools in all three of the county's school systems.
The remaining revenue would be divided among Surry Community College, water and sewer infrastructure, and economic development projects.
The Surry County School Board and the SCC Board of Trustees already have passed similar resolutions.
Wendy Carriker, chairman of the Mount Airy board, said her system would use its share of the tax revenue to finish renovations to Mount Airy High School, including an expanded cafeteria. She estimated the improvements would cost $2.5 million to $3 million.
The school just finished a renovation project using Qualifies Zone Academy Bond (QZAB) funds. But Carriker said those funds can only be used for remodeling, not for additions to the buildings, which is what the school system has in mind.
“We are at a standstill right now because we're looking for funds,” she said.
Superintendent William Steed said the system planned to meet with Parent Teacher Organization leaders to talk about the proposed tax and possibly to send informational phone messages via the ConnectEd system closer to Election Day.
Also Tuesday, Surry County Schools held a meeting at Franklin Elementary School to discuss the potential benefits of the tax revenue with principals and PTO members.
The system plans to build two new schools - an elementary school in the Dobson area and a middle school near Pilot Mountain - in the next few years.
County school officials have said the extra money from the sales tax hike would allow them to build both schools simultaneously, but without the extra revenue they could build only one at a time.
Contact Laura Thompson at lathompson@mtairynews.com, or at 719-1930.
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