By Staff
We should be forced to write it 50 times on the blackboard:
It's not a new tax.
It's not a new tax.
It's not a new tax.
Escambia County voters will have a second chance to vote this summer on a property tax renewal that benefits schools. The taxes - 3 mills in district taxes and 1 mill in countywide taxes - will be on the ballot June 5, the Escambia County Commission decided this week.
Last fall, voters were split on the issue. City voters approved their 3-mill district tax, which only benefits Brewton City Schools. County voters did not approved the 3-mill district tax that goes to Escambia County Schools. The 1-mill countywide tax was also defeated.
Those taxes translate to about $700,000 for city schools and $800,000 for county schools. That money can be used to pay for teachers, instructional programs and technology that will help our children succeed.
We cannot understate how important it is for voters to pass these taxes again.
And we cannot understate that this is not a new tax. Approving this doesn't mean you'll be paying more money on your tax bill.
We hope that voters will consider their choice very carefully this year. Do you want the short-term benefit of a smaller tax bill - or the long-term security of knowing that our children, and our communities, will have a brighter future?