Education tax passes 4,288-765

The second time was a charm for the Butler County ad valorem education tax.

Butler County voters overwhelmingly approved the measure 4,288-765. Eighty-five percent of voters supported the tax.

The 12-mil tax is a renewal of the tax currently in effect that expires in October 2002. The Alabama Constitution requires that the tax be approved by voters every 10 years, and Butler County voters voted against the tax in November.

Butler County School Superintendent Mike Reed said he was pleased with the result.

&uot;I'm feeling great,&uot; said Reed. &uot;Not only great, but grateful to a lot of people. I think it was a matter of getting the word out, and involving a lot of people.

I think it was taken for granted in November, and we got a wake-up call and went to work. I want to thank everybody. It was joint effort in the entire county.&uot;

The tax provides about $1.5 million in local funding toward the Butler

County Board of Education's $22 million annual budget. There is $13.5

million in local funding that depends on the local &uot;matching&uot; money.

Reed said the county's tax rate is significantly lower than the state average.

Allen Stephenson, chairman of Friends of Butler County Schools, said he was excited with the outcome.

&uot;This issue has brought the people of the county together like no issue in my lifetime,&uot; he said. &uot;Private school, public school, old and young got behind this effort.&uot;

Billy Calhoun, chairman of Citizens Against Government Waste could not be reached for comment.

Results by polling place were: Steiner's Store (54 for, 24 against), Midway (112 for, 18 against), Harrison's (72 for, 38 against), Searcy Volunteer Fire Department (73 for, 25 against), Manningham (98 for, 25 against), Monterey (23 for, 6 against), Forest Home (82 for, 19 against), New Greenville Armory (659 for, 105 against), New Health Dept. (646 for, 86 against), Central Fire Dept. (249 for, 24 against), Dunbar Center (441 for, 43 against), Rocky Creek (117 for, 39 against), Center Hill (51 for, 13 against),

McLain's (150 for, 47 against), Providence Community House (202 for, 43 against), Industry (52 for, 35 against), Garland (91 for, 9 against), National Guard Armory (463 for, 46 against), Chapman Post Office (115 for, 40 against), Friendship (55 for, 22 against), Bolling (38 for, 24 against), McKenzie Town Hall (234 for, 26 against), Absentee (211 for, 8 against).