Photo by Laura Moon
Click to enlarge photos.By Jon Gillooly
Marietta Daily Journal Staff Writer
MARIETTA - The Cobb and Marietta school boards met Tuesday to sign a joint agreement, which calls for a Sept. 16 referendum that would net the school systems $798 million and $59 million respectively over the next five years from a one-cent sales tax.
Both Cobb board Chairwoman Betty Gray and Marietta Chairwoman Jill Mutimer signed the SPLOST III agreement in the Marietta boardroom with their respective boards standing behind them and school superintendents at their sides.
"I think it is commendable to both boards for supporting this, and I'm sure of the confidence I have in the Cobb County taxpayers, as we show them the needs for this, they'll support us," Cobb Superintendent Fred Sanderson said.
Critics say the special Sept. 16 election date was chosen over the November General Election because few people turn out during special elections, and those who do tend to be supporters. And the Cobb School District, with 15,229 employees, of which 8,800 are teachers, has its share of supporters as the largest employer in the county.
After the meeting, Sanderson said educating the public on what the tax revenues would do for the system is key to ensuring voter approval. He said the educating effort would involve the PTSA, school-sponsored clubs, the Cobb Chamber of Commerce, Cobb government and citizens.
Sanderson said he is "very optimistic" SPLOST III will pass.
"I have a lot of confidence in the citizens of Cobb County," Sanderson said. "I think they understand the capital needs are there, and you have three ways to get it: you can raise millage, you can have a bond issue, or you can do SPLOST, and we're fortunate, as I've said many times, to have a SPLOST because a huge percentage of it is paid through people who don't live here, and we need to take advantage of it while we've got it."
Asked for her prediction on the passage of SPLOST, Mutimer said, "As a board member, I'm not allowed to campaign for a SPLOST. I want to draw the clear line as to campaigning or not campaigning. It is a law and I will in this whole process be very careful what I say. But I will say as a board member I voted for the SPLOST. I believe the needs are critical needs of our school system that have to be met, and I feel we need to get information out to the public so that they can evaluate that and make the decision for themselves."
Marietta Superintendent Dr. Emily Lembeck plans to roll out SPLOST literature within the next two weeks. The first step, she said, is educating school staff on what they can and cannot do regarding SPLOST, she said.
"They personally can go vote for it and against it, but they cannot go out and campaign or promote it. You just have to be very cautious, that's a good word, cautious, that you respect the difference between sharing and educating versus promoting. The business community and the public can do whatever they want to promote it. We cannot," Lembeck said.
That is where the independent Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax citizens committee becomes important in promoting the referendum, Gray said.
Kessel Stelling, president and CEO of Bank of North Georgia, chaired the SPLOST I citizens committee, while David Connell, regional manager for Georgia Power, chaired the second one, Gray said.
Chamber Chairman Sam Kelly said a chair to head the SPLOST III citizens committee would likely be announced within the week. Kelly said the Chamber supported the first two SPLOSTs and will support this one also.
If approved by voters, the Cobb School District plans to spend the $798 million in expected SPLOST III revenues on maintenance, additions and modifications, replacement facilities, safety, curriculum and technology, and land.
The neighboring Marietta system has earmarked more than half of the $59 million it expects from SPLOST III to help retire its $40 million debt. Other revenues would go toward technology, construction and renovations, school security, buses, driver's education cars, and other expenses.
jgillooly@mdjonline.com
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Posted Comments
I cannot wait to vote against this.
And supporters say that if the main concern of critics is about when the vote will be held the critics have already lost!
Ok, folks this SPLOST thing is needed, what I keep asking is,how is the money spent? We in Cobb County do not need a school board that only allows one bidder get the contracts involving the SPLOST money. I still say that there are better and less costly companies out there that can do a better job for less money. But we will never know if the school board keeps on allowing one company to draw up the plans, bid on the plans they submitted and then are awarded the contract; to that I say that there is something wrong here and the school board and the public should look at how things are being done in the county.
That Marietta Board Chair is pretty cute!
Jon, the tax that is being proposed is NOT a "one cent sales tax" as you have noted. It is a 1% sales tax---in other words, for every dollar you spend in Cobb County, Cobb County will take 1 cent from you. The public is dumb enough about how taxed we are. Please do not just regurgitate the lines spewed by the politicos seeking to reach further into the Cobb county tax payers pocket. Many thanks.
Look how "happy" everyone appears in that photo from above as they vote to pass a $798,000,000 tax increase on the citizens of Cobb County..
Omar - You've been called out too many times in here. Once and for all, put up or shut up. Who, when or where, who did anyone at any time say that anything associated with the new SPLOST would not be bid or would only go to one bidder? Your rants are tiresome and ill-informed. You are the one who needs to "look at how things are being done in the county". Come on Omar - tell us. We are STILL waiting.
Get real, Omar. If any government entity would allow only one bidder any of the other companies wanting to bid would be suing them non-stop. Somehow I don't see that happening. If it were this paper would be all over it. Believe it or not, there are no black helicopters. Take of the tin foil hat and join the rest of reality.
Greattttttttt, Our homes are worth 10% less, foreclosures are at an all time high, gas is over $4.00 a gallon and a loaf of bread has doubled in price in the past 6 months, and the wonderful Cobb School board wants to pass SPLOST 3, 4, or whatever is up to now, and raise taxes by 700 Million dollars...
Now I understand how the last SPLOST carried in another expensive special election! There are 15000+ employees of the BOE. The last $500000 special election had 40000 voters but barely squeaked through with a tad over half the votes (under 20000), so it must mean that some of the BOE families failed to vote. So here we are in 2008 with another $500000 special election for SPLOST scheduled purposely not to be in sync with any of the regular elections where five times or greater turnout would be generated. Hopefully, enough non-BOE voters will come out to kill this. If they do, let's make the BOE members who voted in favor of the special election personally liable for the $500000 cost. Why should the taxpayers pick up the tab for rigged elections?
Please inform me, will this, if passed, increase our sales tax rate? Does this have a projected starting date and a projected ending date? Is this a replacement tax or additional tax? You mentioned critics in your story, do they have a name, is there an organized opposition and where can I sign up? How much will this special election cost? Who will cover the cost of this election? and why was it not added to the November election?
The school board's manipulation of the referendum time-line is unethical. I'm voting against this and I'm making a point of telling my friends and fellow residents about these antics. Most voters will be unaware of this "special election" unless word is spread. Grassroots notification of this referendum is needed and hopefully other readers are planning on reaching out and spreading the word.
Mr. Begger, Thank you for admiting the SPLOST is needed. As for how it will be spent, it will be spent like any money. On goods and services. I have a feeling that you have some pent up anger for the Facility Group, so do you work with a future bidder,a disgruntled ex-employee, or just a rabble-rouser? I can not wait to see Omar T Begger on the next school board ballot. Happy Trails!
If we have a 5% sales tax, and they increase it to 6%, it sounds harmless. Its just a penny. What you have to realize is that it is actually a 20% tax increase.
Why do they call it SPLOST (Special Local Option Sales Tax). I thought this thing was a "one time tax" to help get out schools IT's infrastructure up to par. They should call it a NGALOST "Never Goes Away Local Option Sales Tax". that would be the more appropiate thing to call it...
Teasley Odoms says - Get real, Omar. If any government entity would allow only one bidder any of the other companies wanting to bid would be suing them non-stop. Somehow I don't see that happening. If it were this paper would be all over it. Believe it or not, there are no black helicopters. Take of the tin foil hat and join the rest of reality. I beg to differ. Cobb County Schools are bidding an opportunity right now for almost 1 Million dollars for servers, They wrote the bid around dell servers. very similiar to the way they did with the other SPLOST for Laptops (wrote the bid around Macintosh). If you don't believe me. Ask Jill Vestal from Cobb County purchasing....Cobb School purchasing requirements require competive bids but they do not stick to their own guidelines.. especially after Dell builds a facility in Cobb County and employees folks there.. Go ask Commissioner Sam Olens about this.....
As I read the article than read the comments I noticed a situation which is being overlooked, again. Every tax paying citizen in every city, county and state know that education,as with all human services, are being taxed to death. This taxation is due in a great part to illegal immigrants!!period! I was a sub-teacher for Cobb Cty for one school term-never again!! I was placed usually with either the second or third grade level. The percentage of non-English speaking children ran about 41%. Get a grasp of that figure, almost one half of the children couldn't even ask to go to the restroom in English. Extra aides had to be hired to communicate between teacher and student. Also, almost ALL of these 41% were given free meals too! Want to just try and guess what the aides and meals are costing we tax payers! When the vote comes up, you can be assured that I will be marking the NO box on this increase !
Vote no - do not give this group the opportunity to continue to spend these funds frivolously...
The CCSD does not get any bids for legal services - they just keep renewing Brock Clay. Do any of you really think that is the only instance?
Hey Joe, I am assuming you don't know it, but the current tax is 5%. That's with SPLOST. The next SPLOST would only extend that. The tax would remain the same if is passed OR if it is defeated the tax would go down to 4%. Too tough for ya - or just ignorant of the facts? You decide!
Hey Cyrus, its just an example. Notice the key word "if". We are currently enjoying a 25% tax increase.
We actually have a 4% tax plus 1% for the current school SPLOST and another 1% road SPLOST from the county, making it a total of 6%. As Cyrus states, if the SPLOST vote wins, everything stays the same, If it loses, a 16.6% reduction. Part of the tax must be paying for Omar's unemployment benefits since he has to resort to begging. Or maybe he is the guy standing on the side of the road with the sign "Will work for Betty Gray"
I have spoken to a lot of people and do not know anyone who is going to vote for this perpetual,never ending, never goes away, school tax...
Mike- how many people have you heard of that said they wouldn't vote vs the entire voting public? If it isn't over 50%, that doesn't mean a thing. "a lot of people" does not equal the majority most likely
Mr. Goathead, Mike was probably one of those people in 2004 who were shocked, schocked I say, when they learned that Bush had won another 4 years. These people are so oblivious. If it isn't said or done on their street or by their friends it can't be true.
John Goathead says - Mike- how many people have you heard of that said they wouldn't vote vs the entire voting public? If it isn't over 50%, that doesn't mean a thing. "a lot of people" does not equal the majority most likely John. I have spoken to almost 50 people about the SPLOST, and how they are not supporting it. I would post some of their names, but you would probaly reconize some or possibly most of their names, because most of them are public officials who work for Cobb County goverment.
Has anyone else noticed that this special election coincides with an early release day for Cobb County School District? I just have to wonder how many employees will take advantage of the extra two hours they have been given to make it out to the polls. I also have to wonder if they will still be on-the-clock while voting for a tax increase that will benefit their employer.
plus's and minus's. But a definite YES vote! It is an additional 1% sales tax and generates over 30% of it's revenues from people "outside" of Cobb County. Folks from other counties and states visiting our malls, resturants, etc. as they come through town on 75. Yes it has been ongoing but so has the growth of our communties, thus the need for better infrastructure, additional schools, school upgrades, etc... These things are going to get done one way or another, they have to, to meet codes and needs. If not a 1% sales tax increase that 30% is subsidized by other, then hold on, because our property taxes will go up to cover it 100%. Think about it! Vote YES!!