Groups taking campaign to web
City and county school officials will be testing several different methods of advertising while pushing for people’s support to keep the one-cent sales tax June 1.
Some of the methods officials intend on utilizing include mail-outs, media outlets and social sites like the ever so popular Facebook.
“We have looked at several successful campaigning methods that were used by other schools in Alabama,” said Molly Bates, who serves as the library media specialist at Russellville Middle School and is the volunteer creator of the Facebook group that supports the tax.
“Facebook seemed to be the most common form of campaigning and it really helps to educate people who don’t understand why we need to pass the tax.”
The popular social network has been used for several campaigns and has become one of the sites local candidates have turned to while running for an office.
Bates said the Facebook group has been up and running since Sunday and has reached well over 100 members supporting the cause in a 48 hour period.
“It is really just another form of communication we can use to make sure people understand the correct information about the tax,” Bates said.
“This alternate avenue can be used for people to post supporting comments or if anyone had a question about the tax, they could post it on the Facebook page and I would do my best to reply with the correct answer.”
The tax, which people who shop in Franklin County have been paying since it was implemented in January, will be one of the key issues decided on June 1. If the yes votes prevail the tax will be implemented for two years until the vote comes around again in 2012.
“My parents were educators, I’m an educator and my kids have been through the school system,” Bates said. “Financially we are crippled and this tax could be a tremendous move in the right direction. I’m afraid if it doesn’t pass it will actually be a step backwards.”
Russellville city schools superintendent Don Cox said the Franklin County’s future depends on the education of children.
“We are just trying to get the word out about the tax and educate everyone that if the majority votes yes, the tax will just be a continuation of what has already been put into place since January,” he said. “We believe the tax vote is not only a vote that will impact education, but a vote that will impact the quality of life because we believe education and school systems draws in people and businesses to live and prosper here in the county.”
Cox said he and Franklin County superintendent Gary Williams will be working together to help spread the dire need to stop borrowing money from banks.
“We really have a situation to where the last two years of proration has really hurt us,” Cox said. “For the last two years, both the county and city school systems combined have been cut around $6 million, and this isn’t because of anything we are doing wrong, that was just in the budget the state gave us over the course of those two years. Now that proration is over, we feel that since we are facing such a huge debt, the tax would serve as a band-aid helping city and county school systems get back on track.”
If the tax passes, the money will be dispersed with 42 percent going to the city schools and 58 percent covering the county schools based on enrollment. If the tax doesn’t pass, the issue will be dismissed and school officials will have to come up with another plan for funding.
