SPLOST voters say 'yes'
By FRANK BRADLEY Sentinel Writer

The votes are in--an extension of the special 1% sales and use tax for up to five years has been approved by voters for educational purposes in Union County. A ceiling of $27 million dollars has been set with proceeds going to the Union County School District for the purpose of acquiring, constructing and equipping new schools and facilities, including a new fine arts facility, new high school athletic facilities, new classroom additions, and a new gymnasium at Woody Gap School. The funds will also be used for renovation and repair of existing school facilities, to acquire new equipment, to acquire school buses, textbooks and other instructional materials and to purchase land on which to build the new school facilities.

The voters overwhelming approved the Splost referendum by almost a vote of three to one. With just over 19% of the registered voters voting, there were 1,752 votes in favor and 623 opposed.

Deputy Registrar Diana Nichols said these were unofficial numbers, and that there would be a few more votes early votes added into the official total, but that those votes would not in any way affect the outcome of the election.

The vote constitutes approval for the county to undertake a general obli- gation debt for the Union County School District in the amount of $20 million to provide new and improved school facilities, equipment and teaching materials.Up to $7 million can be used for interest to service the debt.

The Splost has been used by the county in its renovation of the courthouse and construction of a new jail.

It should be noted that the approval of the Splost Referendum will not increase the county's sales tax, but rather it will extend the tax for an additional five years.

By funding school facilities with this method, the county will be able to continue to keep the ad valorem rate low. Union County has one of the lowest property tax rates in the state.