The Bath County School District will be holding a forum Tuesday, December 10 to discuss a proposed county-wide nickel tax.
The tax would add a 5-cent tax per $100 of property value, and the money generated would go to build a new middle school for the county.
Steven Evans, Bath County Superintendent, said the new building is desperately needed. The current building was constructed in 1939, and Evans said it’s on its last legs. But the nickel tax faces opposition.
“We have asked on three separate occasions for a nickel tax, the first time it was brought up to be recalled, our board rescinded it. We just had the second one go to a vote November 5, and it was defeated, and now we’re going to have another vote in January, and so we feel like, the reason people are not voting is they just hear the word tax but they don’t understand the benefits of what a nickel tax does and actually how little more they’ll have to pay,” said Evans.
Evans said the issue of the nickel tax is complex, and it’s unlikely that the average person will understand what it is the district is asking for, which is why he’s holding a community forum to discuss the tax.
“I would prefer you vote for it, but I don’t care if you vote for it or against it. Know what you’re voting for. And so, if you come to our forums, we’ll take the time to explain in great detail what the money goes to, how to assist, how the state’s going to give us money, that’s doubling what we’re bringing in from the local taxpayer and will be a lower burden. So, we’re confident once people come and see that and understand, they’ll be a for vote,” said Evans.
Evans said the state has granted the district $7 million, and they have $10 million in bonding options, and the tax would bridge the gap in needed funding for the construction of the middle school. The community forum to discuss the tax is being held in the Bath County High School Auditorium Tuesday at 6 p.m. Another forum will take place on Facebook Thursday at 6 p.m.