Lee school board to include half-cent sales tax increase on special ballot

The Lee County School Board approved a measure Tuesday to hold a special election to raise the county sales tax by a half-cent.

The controversial measure, which was approved in a 6-1 vote, is set to provide funds for projects including building new schools, maintaining schools, furniture, technology, school buses, equipment and safety, according to a school district initiative.

Some parents called the decision irresponsible spending, while others insisted that both the special election and the tax increase are necessary to fix the funding problem in a district growing by thousands of students each year.

“If you look at communities that invest in education, you see property values increase, you see personal incomes go up and you’ll also see educational outcomes increase … this is a great investment for kids,” Lee County Superintendent Gregory Adkins said.

The special election is tentatively scheduled for May 15, pending final approval from the county.

For more information on the proposed tax, visit the district’s website.

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