DeKalb Close To School Sales Tax Extension

DeKalb County close to an agreement for extending a sales tax agreement between municipalities within the county to help pay for a new Smithville Elementary School.

DeKalb County Mayor Matt Adcock said the county is looking to extend the sales tax agreement to 2067 so the county could afford a 30-year bond for the construction of a new elementary school. Adcock said the county, the Board of Education, and every municipality but Alexandria has agreed to the extension.

“I think Alexandria has some questions and that’s fine,” Adcock said. “There is nothing wrong with asking questions. I think it’s very important to fully understand what you are agreeing to so maybe whatever concerns they do have we can identify them and put them to ease.”

Adcock said he hopes the county can get Alexandria to sign the agreement soon. Adcock said so far he has received nothing but support for the proposal to build a new elementary school.

“I haven’t heard a whole lot of opposition from the public on building a school,” Adcock said.  “I feel like it’s something that everybody or at least most would agree on.”

Adcock said the current Smithville Elementary School building has seen its days and that it is time to move on from it.

“I think that the original parts of the school have been since maybe the late 40s or early 50s so it is a very old school,” Adcock said. “It has been built onto for many years but there are a lot of concerns and you can only build on so much to a building.”

Adcock said the original agreement was made several years ago that by law the municipalities in DeKalb County would give one-third extra of sales tax money to a school thinking fund. Adcock said the school thinking fund is solely to be used for school construction and operation.