County, schools discuss numbers
By COBY LaRUE
Staff
Several members of the Alleghany County Commission questioned
Alleghany Schools representatives about figures released in a school
brochure concerning the upcoming school bond referendum during a
meeting held Jan. 23.
A vote on the proposed $7.5 million school bond issue is scheduled
for March 11. The bond would fund renovations at the existing
auditorium building in Sparta School, which would be used for
classroom space in a middle school. The additional funds would help
pay for construction of a new middle school on the grounds of Sparta
School, as well as pay for the purchase of land for water and sewer
needs at Glade Creek School.
The Commission had requested that the schools be represented at the
meeting to address their concerns with the information going to the
public.
Commissioner Milly Richardson noted that she had spoken with County
Manager Don Adams about the school brochure earlier. Milly asked,
"You pointed out some areas where you had questions and talked with
Dr. Cox (Superintendent Jeff Cox)?"
Adams responded that some clarifications were made. "I have verified
the financial information," he said.
Commissioner Doug Murphy noted that he has received several questions
on how much the tax is going to be to cover both the building and
recurring costs.
Adams said that the increase necessary to fund both, if all the funds
came from property tax, would be nine cents. Five cents would be
required to pay for the building, and an additional four cents would
be needed to fund recurring costs.
Milly noted that the alternatives offered in the brochure, like a
land transfer tax, were not valid options. "The chance of a land
transfer tax passing are slim to none," she said. She also
questioned the statement in the brochure that said the transfer tax
could cover nearly all the tax increase for the middle school. "This
is not factual."
Cox, who attended the meeting with Board of Education Chairman
Clarence Crouse, noted that the school system has outlined the
information that it believes to be the truth. He said the county has
the option of seeking the transfer tax and that it would be in a
unique position to do so if the voters passed the bond option. He
said the estimates in the brochure showing that the transfer tax
would cover the tax increase were referring to the cost of the
building itself, not the recurring costs.
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