Published Saturday, September 04, 2010

Should voters extend SPLOST for education?

Editorial

Editor's note: On Wednesday our editorial was headlined "Our school system is better today because voters said yes to SPLOST." In 2011 the Coweta school board is expected to ask voters to extend SPLOST for education another five years. Here are reactions from readers who commented on the newspaper's website: times-herald.com

* If it were not for SPLOST, we would not have 9th grade campuses, and the main high school would be overcrowded. Classrooms would have more kids in each room. We need SPLOST to help the schools. I will vote yes.

* Georgia on average spends around $9,000-$10,000 per student. I went to a private school and paid $5,000 a year and got a far better education than a public school could ever give. How were we able to get a good education and spend less? We had a budget we could not budge on. If my school spent too much money it got closed down, if a public school wastes money they just raise taxes. We also didn't have teachers unions ruining our education. Coweta has been good with its money so far, and that is why I am not complaining about the taxes I have to pay for schools, but I will not vote to continue SPLOST because it is just putting a burden on people without real results.

* Seems like Henry County and Fayette County voted against SPLOST the last time and their schools didn't fold.

* Check out other school systems that are broke and laying off personnel, then maybe your eyes will be opened to how blessed we are with our school leadership. I understand not ever voting for a tax increase. I do not understand wanting land owners to pay for everything instead of a one cent sales tax and a much bigger group of people, many who live outside this county, paying the bill.

* If the Obama health care bill gets thrown out, I'll vote yes, but until then I'm sorry. I pay enough taxes.

* Property taxes should be plenty to handle all expenses. I am a graduate of East Coweta High and I remember speaking with the librarian my freshmen year about why there was an unused satellite dish in the school yard. It was a gift from the lottery program and was essentially never used. There is no reason to have so many administrators in a school. I went to college to become a teacher. Thankfully, that is not what I'm doing now. There is too much bureaucracy, union and waste.

* As a matter of principle I vote no on any proposed tax increases. Period.

* I will not vote for SPLOST again until Georgia can rank higher than 49th in education.

* I am a Henry County employee and would like to give some good points about SPLOST. Henry voters voted no on the SPLOST years ago, and now we are suffering. We can't buy needed buses. Kids are not getting enough books in the classrooms, and other things that SPLOST pays for are not getting done.

* SPLOST actually cost each family very little over a year. People who come to Coweta to shop help pay. People who stop in off the Interstate also pay. We are great-grandparents with no kids in local schools, yet we always support SPLOST. We have to provide adequate facilities for our kids to learn. SPLOST, when prudently used, injects an immediate surge of funds to pay for buildings, etc. Otherwise, we will pay through property tax. I say keep SPLOST working but use it wisely.

* OK, if you have a SPLOST then everyone, even people who don't live here, help pay for new schools, etc. If there is no SPLOST then only people who pay property taxes will pay for the new schools. I like the SPLOST because it expands the number of people paying for these improvements. If you read up on 9th grade campuses, they are dramatically improving graduation rates and test scores, and lowering dropout rates all over the country. Money well spent.

* Has anyone ever seen the movie "Never Ending Story"? It is the same as SPLOST, which is also never ending once it got started.

* If SPLOST is so great, why can't they get the air conditioner fixed in the 9th grade campus at East Coweta High?

* How is it conservative spending when every high school in the county gets its own 9th grade building with its own 9th grade administration? Do people realize how much school administrators earn? This voter has never and will never vote yes for a SPLOST.