Behind the vote: SPLOST wins by 2-to-1 margin
The $88.9 million education SPLOST is a go for Rome/Floyd County effective April 1. A surprisingly strong turnout--16.3 percent--helped push the package to success. In all, 4,747 voters said yes while 2,372 voted no. More people voted in the SPLOST election than in the July 15 primary (10.8 percent turnout).
>Everett Springs, Floyd Springs and Howell were the only precincts to vote majority no on the issue, and only two and nine votes were the difference.
>2003 education SPLOST: It ends on March 31 after being approved by 75 percent of voters in November 2003 (a Rome City Commission election aided turnout). The "new" SPLOST starts April 1 and runs for five years.
>City, county totals: The margin of victory for the 2008 SPLOST was 71.4-28.6 percent in the Rome precincts and 64.1-35.9 percent in the county.
>A penny per dollar: The passage basically extends the 1-cent-per-dollar tax area residents and visitors are paying on each taxable dollar spent in Floyd County. Both city and county school systems have extensive needs lists to be funded by the new SPLOST, including a new Model High School (picture, above right).
>Who gets what? County schools get 66 percent of the SPLOST dollars while city schools get 34 percent. How Floyd schools will use the SPLOST dollars> Floyd
>Biggest surprise: Aside from the turnout, it was the ease with which the tax measure passed. Rome/Floyd County has more than 16,000 public school students in addition to five private schools. Give the credit to the school systems and to committee chairs Craig McDaniel and Hal Storey--and local voters.
>Next SPLOST: There's already talk of a non-education SPLOST to replace one of the others already in effect. Look for public safety concerns to be among the anchor projects in the next tax vote.
Politics
>Puckett fund-raiser features House Minority Leader DuBose Porter: Tuesday was a wild one for House District 13 hopeful Bob Puckett. As assistant superintendent of Floyd schools, he was watching the voting in the $88.9 million SPLOST. That afternoon and evening, he was with Rep. DuBose Porter, first at a media conference and then at a Puckett $100-a-ticket fundraiser.
>Today/House Study Committee on Hospital Tax & Indigent Care to meet at City Hall: Rep. Katie Dempsey, Floyd Medical Center partner to host first of three planned hearings on the issue> Politics
>Thursday/Gov. Sonny Perdue to join Rep. Katie Dempsey in recognizing Rome's state appointees and honorees, 5-6 p.m., Greater Rome Chamber of Commerce. Rome's appointees to state boards and commissions will he recognized as well as those who have been singled out by state government for contributing to the community and state.
>Jefferson-Jackson Dinner delayed until Oct 2: The annual Jefferson-Jackson Dinner sponsored by the Floyd County Democratic Party is set for 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 2, at The Forum. Tickets: $25 per person. Tables are available.
>Gingrey chides Pelosi, Democrats for 'hoax' energy bill: U.S. Rep. Phil Gingrey on Tuesday blased the handling of the comprehensive American Energy Act and what was put up in its place> Gingrey
Wednesday's Buzz
>Ru San's opens today; Harvest Moon launches new dinner menu> Dining
>Caldwell featured in Business Chronicle's section on community banks: Tom Caldwell, chairman of Greater Rome Bank and Greater Rome Bancshares Inc., is quoted in the current edition of the Atlanta Business Chronicle in a story with the headline: "To bank or not to bank?" Caldwell discusses changes in banking during his 40-plus year career, especially dealing with buying a home. (The column is available to print customers only; page 9C).
>CVTC graduation Thursday at The Forum> Campus
-List of graduates. Click CVTC
>Berry, Clower launch 'A New Year, A New You' health initiative> Campus
Weather Center
Mostly sunny with a high of 79 and a low of 58.
>Extended forecast, EarthWatch and more> Weather Center
Sports
Norman's Arey's Sports, brought to you by Riverside Toyota:
>A statue for Wake's Jim Grobe; a Weiner Award for last week's Tech TV crew>Arey
The Football Report, brought to you by Printworks:
>Links to Friday night's games; John McClellan's picks for week four> Football Report
Downtown
>Museum plans another Family Fun Day this Saturday> Downtown
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