District Five Bond Referendum
October 26, 2007
*******
NOTE: There are new voting precincts in the Richland County portion of House District 71. You should have recevied a new Voter Registration Card last month which lists your voting precinct. Many stayed the same but several voters will be voting at a different spot starting November 6, 2007. For precinct information, click here.
*******
On November 6, 2007 we’ll have two important elections in our community. One is the Lexington/Richland School District Five Bond Referendum; the other is the Town of Irmo elections for Mayor and Town Council.
Here are informational sites to visit if you are still undecided on your referendum vote:
Lexington/Richland School District Five Website
Richland County Property Tax Information
Lexington County Property Tax Information
Viewpoints from community members (The State, Neighbors October 25)
Everyboyd’s Talking About It (Earlier blog post on nathansnews.com)
Neighbor’s Article from The State (October 25th)
Neighbor’s Article from The State (October 18th)
OFFICIAL BALLOT, REFERENDUM
$256,500,000 GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS
SCHOOL DISTRICT NUMBER FIVE OF LEXINGTON COUNTY
AND RICHLAND COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINA
NOVEMBER 6, 2007
Question
Shall the Board of Trustees of School District Number Five of Lexington County and Richland County, South Carolina be authorized to issue and sell, either as a single issue or as several issues, general obligation bonds of in School District Number Five of Lexington County and Richland County, South Carolina in the principal amount of not exceeding $256,500,000, the proceeds of which shall be applied to defray the cost of the following:
1. Constructing a new high school, a new middle school and a new elementary school;
2. Constructing renovations and expansions to Leaphart Elementary School, Seven Oaks Elementary School, Irmo Elementary School, Chapin Elementary School, Irmo High School, Dutch Fork High School and Chapin High School; and
3. Costs related to the foregoing, including architectural and engineering fees, land acquisition, equipment and furnishings, and costs of issuance of the bonds?
In favor of the question
Opposed to the question
Comments
8 Responses to “District Five Bond Referendum”
Got something to say?
I believe the district need to show restraint and proper use of the money already received. Less money spent on adminsration and better use of in clas instruction would result in higher test scores.
I think that any government agency ready to spend 1/4 BILLION dollars should also be ready to defend the ENTIRE process by which the decisions were made to spend that money.
If classrooms are empty in some schools as stated by the district, then shouldn’t the tax payers have been presented with a plan to redraw the attendance lines? Once attendance was equalized, then I can see construction as the only alternative. But not construction that costs over 2X as much per student as other districts in the state!
Where is accountability in this process? Hired consultants and tax payer money being spent to build support is not what I see as a good investment for my education dollars.
Lastly, no one debates the need for more space. The debate is over the way that decisions are made to make that space. And of course where that space will be. The current plans move students from Irmo to Dutch Fork, from Dutch Fork and Chapin to a new school. 20% of the students in the district will eventually be moved to a different attendance base with the current plans. How much will bus transportation be funded to support this?
What do 7 current School Board members, 8 past School Board Chairs, 50 expert community members, 2 newspapers, and thousands of staff, parents, grandparents, senior citizens, business owners, and community members have in common?
· They all know the value that schools have in our community!
· They all know that strong schools mean great communities.
· They all know that investing in our schools is investing in all of our futures.
· They know the relationship between home values and schools.
· They know the relationship between quality of life and schools.
· They know that we must meet the needs of all of our students.
· They know that our community is growing – fast.
· They know that the longer we wait to reinvest in our schools the more expensive it is going to be.
· THEY ALL KNOW TO VOTE YES NOV. 6.
The big tax break meant $14.00 a month and SD5’s bond will increase my taxes $223.00 year for next 20 years which will wipe out any thing I got before it even starts.
Tis is not a good idea.
Just say NO!!
Why build schools in empty areas? So Mungo can fill them up?
Why doesn’t Richland/Lexington County improve infrastructure PRIOR to building of schools/adding more Mungo subdivisions which in the long run means WALMART will be here even SOONER…
I voted no on this issue because all of the facts were not presented. The last bond tried to sneak in a waterpark. What was in this deal???? If someone is going to spend 250,000,000 on something, there better be a breakdown of “exactly” where the money is going. I like the theory that we should have cookie cutter schools. Why spend good money to design building we already spent millions on drawing up the first 5 to 10 times. There is enough pork at the state and national levels. Don’t drag it down to the school districts. My father was a Superintendent of Schools for many years and knew the value of a dollar and got things done without spending frivously. Our leaders need to look long and hard at what they are asking the taxpayers to pay.
I voted “NO” on the school bond referendum for several reasons.
Must first say that someone had to cover expense of school buildings when I was being educated and it wasn’t that I resent the tax.
I’m very skeptical of the process used for this. In this day and time there are those like myself who doubt the honesty of persons involved in this process. Do they have connections with developers? There are business people who have connections which give them advance info on happenings.
Also, I remember the gigantic school situation which built Dorman High School, a lavish college-like campus.There is so much more to our needs in education than a fine building. We need principals who care more about nurturing and encouraging their students than “test scores” and embelliishing their resumes.
We need MORE teachers who care , really care, than just making their salary. We need MORE parents who are involved.
This plan, had it been approved, would certainly look good on the superintendent’s resume.
[…] a very active community that rallies together around several issues…..whether it’s a bond referrendum, annexation/incorporation efforts, WalMart, or now a CSX side-rail…..our community and our […]