GROUPS BOOST EFFORTS TO GET SCHOOL BOND PROPOSALS PASSED

Committees in two area school districts stepped up efforts over the weekend to attract support for funding proposals voters will consider Tuesday.

Both Scott City and Oak Ridge school districts seek voter approval of bond proposals that would be used to ease overcrowding. Supporters began telephone and door-to-door campaigns Saturday and will continue through election day in hopes of convincing voters to support the measure, which requires 57.14 percent approval for passage.

"We're trying to make sure they know what the issue is about and why the schools need it," said Larry Dunger, chairperson of the committee leading Scott City schools' campaign. "When you have people that are moving into the community because of the quality of the school system, you have to do what you can to make sure it remains at that level."

The $3.5 million bond issue proposed by Scott City school officials would require a 49-cent tax increase to fund construction of 20 new classrooms and a new industrial arts building. The measure also would cover expanding the library and art room and renovating the multipurpose building to serve as a cafeteria for elementary students.

Dunger said the elementary school cafeteria is an important component of the measure. All students currently eat in the same cafeteria, and lunch periods begin around 10:30 a.m. and have been shortened in order to fit in the district's enrollment.

"Some of the kids like to eat a little earlier anyway, but right now they have absolutely no choice," Dunger said.

Scott City resident Paul Brockmeyer is among voters who oppose the measure.

"I think it's a little high," he said. "They have a good school out there. I don't know why they can't make do with that."

Scott City schools superintendent Roger Tatum said he hopes voters will remember that a middle school built three years ago was built without a tax increase, and the district has not sought a debt service levy increase in at least two decades.

"I understand there's people that don't want to pay a penny more in taxes, if you look at our tax rates compared to other school districts in Cape and Scott counties, we're the lowest by far," Tatum said. "Even with a 49-cent increase, we'll still be lower than most of them."

Holding our breaths'

Oak Ridge school officials are requesting a $1.95 million bond issue to fund a three-part expansion effort. The proposal requires a 30-cent tax hike over nine years, after which the levy would return to its current rate of $3.35 per $100 assessed valuation.

The measure would cover the purchase of 30.5 acres of property behind the high school for future expansion; construction of a middle school to house sixth- through eighth-grade classrooms; an expanded media center-library, art room and a computer lab; and construction of a multipurpose building.

Campaign committee chairperson Jo Ann Hahs said she has received mostly supportive feedback about the measure, but she won't feel certain until the final results are in.

Voters have traditionally supporting funding measures in the district. The last measure proposed by the district, a bond issue to build a high school in 1995, received an 87 percent approval from voters.

"We know that there's some opposition as always," Hahs said. "We will be holding our breaths until we get the final results, but I feel pretty good about it."

Grover Sachse of Oak Ridge said he was undecided how he would vote for the measure, but he recognizes the growth in the community maybe causing overcrowding in the schools.

"I don't know whether they need it or not, but I do know there are a lot more people living here than there used to be," said Sachse. "I don't know how it'll go."