Gwinnett SPLOST would fund school safety system

wsbradio ^ | 10/23/13 | Sandra Parrish

[from occupied ga]

If Gwinnett voters approve a renewal of the county’s one cent special purpose local option sales tax next month, some of that money will be used to improve emergency response times at the county’s 132 schools and the four schools in the city of Buford.

Commissioners have voted to spend up to $5 million on the emergency notification system that would be linked directly to the county’s 911 operations center.

Gwinnett Police Chief Charles Walters says it would include a panic button as well as video cameras.

“The camera feeds will enable the 911 call takers to provide real-time information to first responders to a school incident,” he told reporters.

Walters says the idea emerged following the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings. But he warned the project cannot go forward if the SPLOST is not renewed.

“The fact is, if we’re going to install a system, that’s the only way we can provide the funds to do that,” he says.

Of the $498 million the SPLOST is expected to generate, nearly $71 million is allocated for public safety. The largest chunk of that money will be spent on new equipment and vehicles for police, fire, EMS, and the sheriff’s department.

Typically commissioners do not approve projects until after the tax is approved by voters. But a county spokesman tells WSB’s Sandra Parrish inquiries from the public prompted the commission to go ahead and approve those specific projects that had already been identified as part of public safety.

Bobby Crowson, Associate Superintendent for School Improvement and Support for Gwinnett Schools, says the emergency notification system is another way to ensure the safety of students.

“The fact we cannot have a police officer on every campus right now given the budget concerns we do have and the available resources, this… would be an incredible benefit to us,” he says

[higgmeister]

I was born here, from a family that goes back before the Civil War. In that time, at least when I wasn’t overseas in the military, I have never seen a ‘special’ tax that was really necessary.

How old are you? I didn't know the CSA had any military overseas in the Civil War.

[Gaffer]

Smart ass.

[Conan the Librarian]

We’re doing SPLOST down here in Savannah too. I am torn on this one for personal reasons.

If it passes, they are going to build me a new Library to run. The current one is 30+ years old and uglier than Nancy P. It has no windows, the HVAC doesn’t work without help, and has no heater. It needs to be replaced.

But, I also agree that we don’t need another tax on anything.

What to do, What to do?

[from occupied ga]

Let your conscience be your guide, but calculate the effect that the 1% will have on your cash first.

[Conan the Librarian]

It’s like earlier when they were debating giving us a “longevity” bonus or putting a new copier in my building. The old one was dead, not, just old.

Everyone was saying “Yeh, give us the money”. I said, “I have customers that need a copier now”. I wasn’t very popular, but, we need that machine 5 months ago.

We’re getting the copiers, don’t know about the bonus.

[GwinnettTeaParty]

1. This is an excellent point. Add in the number of apartments and you get about 275,000 households. Even if you use the County’s made up number that 40% of the tax revenue comes from outside the County and the higher household number it still means more than $1,090 per household.

2. Also realize that dropping the sales tax from the current 6% to 5% is a 17% reduction, not a 1% reduction as people assume.

3. I got Gwinnett Chairman Charlotte Nash to admit in public that even if SPLOST does not pass the County will do the school safety upgrade. She really had no choice. I hope this gets out and helps to nullify their despicable attempt to say that unless SPLOST passes your children will be shot.

4. Everyone PLEASE vote on Tuesday! We are doing everything we can to get out the message.