Chamber endorses ELOST

“It’s a renewal of the exact same one-percent tax for education that’s been in existence since 1997,” explained Ronnie Hopkins, who chairs the Jefferson Board of Education.

Jefferson voters will vote twice on that day. They’ll go to the county polling locations to vote on the ELOST referendum, and also to City Hall to vote on a bond referendum.

Most of the proceeds from the tax, Hopkins said, will go to make bond payments. Commerce plans to use 95 percent of its income, for example, to retire the debt on its new high school. The Jefferson and Jackson County systems will also use most of their funds for debt.

“If you’re not for increases in ad valorem taxes, this is what you should be for,” Hopkins told the board. “All three school systems are paying on bonds, and a failure to pass the referendum means more bond taxes.”

Hopkins called ELOST “a very useful tax, a very worthwhile tax,” and repeated the assertion that 40 to 45 percent of that tax will be paid by people who live outside of Jackson County but who shop here, “whereas if it does not pass, the property taxes would be paid 100 percent by the people of Jackson County.”

The resolution passed, on a motion by Hunter Bicknell, without opposition.

The referendum proposes to collect up to $100 million over five years, a number set artificially high so as to avoid the possibility of having the tax expire before the five years is up. Expectations are actually considerably lower.

The Jackson County School System would use up to $30 million to pay on its 2005 bonds, which among other things helped build East Jackson Comprehensive High School. It also plans a fourth middle school.

Commerce would use the bulk of its share of the money to pay on the bonds on its new high school.

Jefferson would use its share to make payments on the $25 million bond issue it hopes to pass that same day. Its plans include a new gym, academic building and kitchen at Jefferson High School and a new kitchen, cafeteria and academic building at its elementary school.