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On Monday, the Chambers County Commission approved the call for a special election to renew the school tax that was sent forward by both Lanett City Schools and the Chambers County School District.

The tax on the assessed value of the property was authorized in Section 269 of Article XIV of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901.

People have differing opinions on taxes and how the money should be spent, and that’s to be expected. However, the school tax is important as the funds collected go toward improving the education of our children in some form or fashion.

As Chambers County Superintendent Casey Chambley said at the meeting, “Revenue for us is vital. Having the revenue to run our school system, and to run it efficiently, and to do it within buildings that our children deserve to be in is expensive.”

Likewise, Lanett City Schools Superintendent Jennifer Boyd said 21% of their budget comes from local revenue with the property tax being the largest chunk.

We can debate all day on whether or not the money is being spent wisely, but at least we do not have extravagant athletic facilities with aging school buildings being dwarfed right next to them. You can find a few of those not too far from us. Not to say that athletics do not deserve nice things, but education is the primary purpose, and we should treat our facilities as such.

The special election will be held on Monday, Aug. 31, 2021, and we hope everyone gets out to the polls to cast their votes.

Typically, these elections do not draw huge crowds. Unless they are paired with a general election or gubernatorial race, they typically fly under the radar. However, they do cost the county money to conduct and are very important to the progression of this county. It is no secret that good schools foster rapid growth.

It would be unfortunate if a few hundred people came out to decide the financial fate of more than 10,000 students in Chambers County.

So, no matter what side you stand on, get out and vote.