County voters overwhelmingly approve millage renewal

Staff Reports

CENTRE — Voters in Cherokee County overwhelmingly passed Superintendent Brian Johnson's plan to combine and extend for the next 30 years four ad valorem taxes that fund county schools. The approval by voters will allow the Board of Education to borrow around $15 million for capital improvements to the school system.

Out of 2,200 votes cast, 86.7 percent were in favor of consolidation of four separate taxes that combine to generate 22 mills from property tax collections for the school system.

The money generated by the taxes is used to fund day-to-day operations at the county's eight campuses, but because the income is now guaranteed for the next three decades the Board of Education will be able to borrow against it and pay for several capital projects.

A week ago, Johnson told The Post the top priorities for the county are a new middle school in Centre and a new gymnasium at Sand Rock High School. He said he hoped to begin construction on those projects as early as spring 2008.