The Sanford Herald has given the 1/4 sales tax increase a thumbs down--at least for now. This is exactly the reaction we predicted among those who had supported the sales tax as a way to pay for borrowing the money necessary to renovate the aging campus. Lee School Board Chairman Bill Tatum, who worked tirelessly to get endorsements for the additional tax on the basis of fixing the school has said that his phone was "ringing off the hook" with angry citizens as the public learned that specific mention of the Lee Senior High renovations had been stripped at the last minute from a resolution on use of the sales tax revenues. (See our blog entry for more information.)
The editorial references an unscientific poll on their web page. It shows that the tax has to have the support of those wanting Lee County Senior High to have assured funding if the tax is the be passed.
Since that editorial was written, the poll has seen the number of respondents who would vote for the new tax, if specified to renovate Lee Senior High School, go up with a corresponding drop in those who would not vote yes under any circumstances. It is likely that supporters of the renovations have been weighing in on the poll since the paper was published today and advertised the poll's existence. This is of course, as noted, a highly unscientific poll, but it can have an impact. Supporters of the tax funding for the school would be wise to make their feelings known by logging in to http://www.sanfordherald.com.
Of course, those just flat out against another tax increase would be wise to do the same thing. After all, the more that participate, the more influence the poll may have on policy makers.
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