A grass roots

effort by Fayette County parents and citizens

pushing for passage of a $90 million special

local option sales tax and bond referendum Sept.

21 is taking shape.

A steering

committee called Fayette Citizens for Continued

Excellence in Education, the official name

submitted to the secretary of state, has

organized and will launch its pro-SPLOST campaign

in about two weeks with a barrage of brochures,

speakers, mail-outs and telephoning aimed at

informing voters about the proposed tax and the

key needs of the schools, which include more

classrooms, improved technology and security

devices.

Heading the group

are Janet Smola, a Tyrone resident, parent and

fund raiser for the Joseph Sams School, and Don

Apking, a Fayetteville parent and president of

the Fayette County High Booster Club. Treasurer

is Connie Leary, a Peachtree City parent whose

children attend Huddleston Elementary.

They will be guided

one of the bond advisers working with the Board

of Education on the SPLOST/bond initiative.

"We need to go after the positive and

organize properly at the grass roots level,"

Apking told those assembled Friday morning. The

overwhelming feeling of the group is that the

facts are so positive, that any negative aspects

of the referendum will be overshadowed.

According to

Barnes, the number of votes needed to pass the

SPLOST are "not as much as you think. There

are currently 50,478 registered voters in the

county. Historically, there is a 15 percent to 20

percent turnout for a special referendum, based

on statewide observations. "In Fayette

County, you can expect a slightly higher

turnout," Barnes predicted.

A 25 percent

turnout would bring in 12,620 voters. Barnes

estimated that for a 60 percent or better

"yes" vote, only 7,572 votes would be

needed. "Within the network, you've got the

votes," Barnes said, referring to the number

of school district employees, which totals 3,500,

plus their spouses. Six hundred Realtors also

have pledged to support the tax.

Fayette school

superintendent Dr. John DeCotis reviewed the

highlights of the sales tax effort, carefully

giving only facts, because state law prohibits

school employees or members of the board from

actively campaigning for passage of the

referendum.

Passage of the tax

would provide 300 classrooms or space for 5,000

additional students, property for two elementary

schools, one middle school and one high school,

playground improvements, electrical and

technology upgrades at existing schools, a new

auditorium for Sandy Creek High School, stadium

improvements at Fayette County High School,

concession stand, lockers and bleachers, plus

rest rooms at Starr's Mill and major renovations

at McIntosh, including a new physical education

building and upgrades to the existing stadium.

The SPLOST calls

for a one-cent sales tax to be levied starting

Jan. 1, and the sale of $50 million in bonds to

provide the funds to begin the proposed projects

simultaneously. The bonds will be repaid through

the money generated through the sales tax. The

tax ends in five years or when the school board

collects $90 million, whichever occurs first.

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