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Monday, June 12, 2006
Speaking of SPLOST
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Lordy, there is a lot of education news in the paper today. I’m torn over what to post on, but I’m going to go with this story saying the Georgia Supreme Court has ruled that the Cobb County school board was not authorized to buy laptop computers for students with money that was supposed to go for other purposes.
I think this is a big deal because many school systems are strategizing for a third round of sales-tax funded school construction, which requires voter approval. The message seems to be that systems must specify EXACTLY what they want to spend the money on. “Replacing computer work stations” cannot turn into “buy laptop computers for students and teachers.”
On the one hand, taxpayers clearly have a right to know what they’re supporting when they go to the polls. But I can understanding the need for flexibility in a rapidly changing world.
Do you support the funding of school construction and technology upgrades through a SPLOST (Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax)? How specific do you want district officials to be in outlining what they want to build/fix/replace?
