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    [00:02:28]

    OKAY.

    [00:05:01]

    IT IS 6:00.

    WE WILL CALL THE NOVEMBER 28TH SPECIAL CALLED MEETING OF THE AIKEN COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION TO ORDER.

    WE BEGIN ALL OUR MEETINGS WITH A MOMENT OF SILENCE AND THEN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

    PLEASE JOIN ME IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE.

    PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE.

    ALLEGIANCE] THE AGENDA FOR TONIGHT'S MEETING WAS PUBLISHED IN ADVANCE TO THE BOARD IN PUBLIC, AND HAVE NOT HEARD OF ANY REQUESTS FOR EDITS TO IT. SO, NO, NOT HEARING ANY OBJECTIONS.

    WE'LL PROCEED WITH THAT AGENDA.

    WE'VE GOT ONE ORDER, ONE PIECE OF BUSINESS, AND THEN WE HAVE AN INFORMATIONAL ITEM TOO, THAT WILL BE THE BULK OF THE MEETING.

    THE ITEM OF BUSINESS WE HAVE IS PERSONNEL APPOINTMENTS.

    SO THE BOARD RECEIVED A LIST OF PERSONNEL APPOINTMENTS THAT WERE SCREENED BY HR AND APPROVED BY THE ADMINISTRATION.

    AND WE NEED TO APPROVE THAT.

    IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE PERSONNEL APPOINTMENTS AS PRESENTED? MOVED BY MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON? IS THERE A SECOND.

    SECOND BY MR. SMITH? ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE LIST OF PERSONNEL IMPROVEMENTS, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

    THAT IS SIX IN FAVOR.

    THE MOTION CARRIES.

    WITH THAT, THAT WAS OUR ONLY ITEM OF BUSINESS TO VOTE ON.

    AND WE WILL MOVE TO OUR PENNY SALES TAX DISCUSSIONS AND PRESENTATION.

    AND, MR. TRAXLER, WOULD YOU LIKE TO GET US STARTED? I'LL TURN IT OVER TO YOU.

    YES, SIR. GOOD EVENING, MR. CHAIR. MR. LAURENCE, BOARD MEMBERS.

    WE WANTED TO GIVE AN OVERVIEW OF THE SALES TAX, AS THE BOARD CONSIDERS, AS THE DISTRICT CONSIDERS ITS RENEWAL IN NOVEMBER OF 24.

    UM, SO WE'RE GOING TO PROVIDE SOME BACKGROUND INFO TONIGHT AND WE'LL HAVE SOME TIME FOR QUESTIONS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.

    BUT I'M ALSO PLEASED TO BE JOINED BY FRANNIE HEIZER, OUR BOND ATTORNEY, AND MIKE GALLAGHER, OUR BOND FINANCIAL ADVISOR.

    UM, EACH OF YOU SHOULD HAVE A COPY OF THIS PRESENTATION IN YOUR PURPLE FOLDER.

    WE'VE ALSO INCLUDED SOME ADDITIONAL INFO, INCLUDING THE ITEMS THAT MISS HEIZER IS GOING TO COVER NEAR THE END.

    SO WE THOUGHT IT'D BE BENEFICIAL TO GIVE A HISTORY OF OUR SALES TAX.

    I BELIEVE AT THE TIME, PROBABLY MR. SMITH WAS THE ONLY ONE ON THE BOARD WHENEVER WE WERE HAVING THESE PENNY SALES TAX DISCUSSIONS EARLY ON.

    SO HISTORY WISE, YEARS AND YEARS AGO, THE DISTRICT FOR FUNDING CAPITAL PROJECTS ONLY HAD 8% FUNDS AT ITS DISPOSAL.

    CURRENTLY, WE'RE ISSUING 20 MILLION.

    A YEAR. BEFORE THAT, WE'RE ISSUING 18.5.

    I THINK WHENEVER I CAME ON THE DISTRICT, IT WAS 14.5.

    SO SOUNDS LIKE A LOT OF MONEY, BUT IT'S NOT.

    WHENEVER YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT 40 FACILITIES OUTSIDE OF THAT, WE HAD A BOND REFERENDUM IF VOTERS PASSED IT AS ANOTHER OPTION, BUT THAT WAS IT. IT WAS VERY LIMITED.

    8% WAS ALSO USED FOR CYCLIC MAINTENANCE PROJECT ROOFING, HVAC, PAINTING, FLOHORRYNG, ETCETERA.

    SO IT DIDN'T GO VERY FAR.

    IN AROUND 2008 OR SO.

    WE HAD A NEEDS ASSESSMENT STUDY TO TO LOOK AT DISTRICTS THROUGHOUT THE FACILITY OR THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT.

    AND AS A RESULT OF THAT AND OUR OWN OBSERVATIONS, WE BROUGHT A REFERENDUM TO TAXPAYERS IN 2010 AND IT FAILED HANDILY.

    AND AT THAT TIME, IT HAD BEEN 30 PLUS YEARS SINCE THE DISTRICT HAD HAD A SUCCESSFUL REFERENDUM.

    SO A PRETTY LONG TIME.

    WE HAD SCHOOLS THAT WERE AVERAGING 40 YEARS IN AGE.

    AND SO THE PROBLEM WASN'T GOING AWAY.

    IT WAS ONE THAT WAS SNOWBALLING.

    SO WE BEGAN LOOKING AT ALTERNATIVES, AND WHENEVER WE DID, WE MET WITH FOLKS WHO WERE WHO WERE OPPONENTS OF THAT

    [00:10:04]

    2010 REFERENDUM, AS WELL AS OPPONENTS OR PROPONENTS AND OPPONENTS OF IT.

    JUST TO HEAR BOTH SIDES, JUST TO JUST TO KIND OF FEEL OUT WHAT SOME ALTERNATIVES MAY BE.

    AND FROM THOSE DISCUSSIONS, PENNY SALES TAX WAS SOMETHING THAT THAT CAME UP REPEATEDLY.

    FOLKS KNEW THAT SOME OTHER DISTRICTS WERE USING IT SUCCESSFULLY, BUT UNFORTUNATELY THAT WASN'T AN OPTION FOR AIKEN AT THE TIME.

    UM. WE DIDN'T HAVE LOCAL LEGISLATION LIKE SOME OTHER DISTRICTS, AND WE DIDN'T QUALIFY UNDER THE ACCOMMODATIONS TAX LEGISLATION.

    I THINK AT THE TIME THERE WERE THERE WERE TWO DISTRICTS IN THE STATE THAT QUALIFIED, AND WE WEREN'T ONE OF THOSE.

    SO, THANKS TO THE ASSISTANCE OF OUR LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION WORK ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD, LEGISLATION PASSED IN 2014 THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO GO TO VOTERS AND ASK THEM TO CONSIDER A PENNY SALES TAX.

    DID REQUIRE VOTER APPROVAL.

    IT WAS FOR A TEN YEAR CYCLE.

    IT DIDN'T AUTOMATICALLY RENEW.

    AS PART OF THAT 10%, A MINIMUM OF 10% HAD TO GO TO PROPERTY TAX RELIEF, WITH THE REMAINDER GOING TOWARDS PROJECTS.

    SO NOVEMBER OF 2014 WE TOOK IT TO VOTERS AND THIS IS THE SIMPLE VERSION OF IT.

    BUT THERE WERE TWO QUESTIONS ON THE BALLOT.

    WE ASKED VOTERS TO FIRST, DO THEY APPROVE OF A PENNY SALES TAX.

    AND IT LISTED THE PROJECTS AND AND WHAT IT WOULD BE USED FOR.

    AND THEN THERE WAS A SECOND QUESTION THAT WAS CONTINGENT ON THE FIRST.

    IT SAID IF THE PENNY SALES TAX IS APPROVED, CAN WE ISSUE BONDS TO FUND THE PROJECT.

    AND IT LISTED THE THE BOND AMOUNT THERE AND THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT WAS THAT IT GAVE US A JUMPSTART ON FUNDING THOSE PROJECTS INSTEAD OF WAITING SEVERAL YEARS TO TO ACCUMULATE SOME SALES TAX COLLECTIONS BEFORE STARTING, WE WERE ABLE TO GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED QUICKLY ON PROJECTS.

    UM. THAT PASSED WITH NEARLY 60% OF THE VOTE.

    AND WE COULD TOUCH ON SOME OF THESE THINGS LATER.

    BUT SO THAT THAT WAS PRETTY MUCH HOW THE PENNY SALES TAX CAME ABOUT.

    THERE WAS A LOT OF TALK AND A LOT OF CONCERN ABOUT TRANSPARENCY.

    THE DISTRICT AT THE TIME DIDN'T HAVE A WHOLE LOT TO SHOW.

    WE PROMISED CITIZENS THAT THESE THIS WAS WHAT WE WERE GOING TO DO WITH THE PENNY SALES TAX.

    THESE WERE THE PLANS.

    THERE WAS SOME SKEPTICISM OUT THERE IN SOME POCKETS.

    AND WE ASSURED FOLKS THAT WE WERE GOING TO HAVE AN OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE BUILT OF CITIZENS THROUGHOUT THIS.

    AND WE'VE CONTINUED TO HAVE A CITIZENS OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE SINCE INCEPTION.

    INITIALLY, WE WERE MEETING FOUR TIMES A YEAR NOW AS 2 TO 3 TIMES PER YEAR.

    BUT WE GIVE REGULAR UPDATES TO THAT GROUP AND GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO ASK QUESTIONS.

    THIS IS AN EXCERPT FROM LAW THAT THAT SPECIFICALLY APPLIES TO US.

    SO A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I'LL HIGHLIGHT, WHICH I'VE ALREADY MENTIONED, A COUPLE OF THEM.

    SO IMPOSE FOR NO MORE THAN TEN YEARS, AT LEAST 10%.

    FOR PROPERTY TAX RELIEF.

    AND THEN THE THIS LAST PART TALKS ABOUT IF WE BOND OUT.

    OH. WHAT THE LIMITS ARE ON THAT, BUT ALSO REQUIRING THAT WE GET ESTIMATES FROM THE STATE TO DETERMINE HOW MUCH WE'RE ABLE TO BOND. SO WE USE THE STATE'S PROJECTIONS OR ESTIMATES FOR SALES TAX COLLECTIONS.

    SO AN OVERVIEW OF THE COLLECTIONS COMMENCED MARCH 1ST, 2015, AND IT AUTOMATICALLY SUNSETS AT THE END OF FEBRUARY 2025.

    PROJECTIONS FROM THE STATE FOR THIS INITIAL TEN YEAR RUN WERE 188.6 MILLION, AND THUS, PER THE SOUTH CAROLINA OFFICE OF REVENUE AND FISCAL AFFAIRS, WAY COLLECTIONS WERE THEY GO TO THE STATE, THEY'RE PROCESSED THERE, WITHIN APPROXIMATELY TWO MONTHS THEY'RE SENT TO OUR COUNTY TREASURER, AND THE COUNTY TREASURER HOLDS ON OUR BEHALF.

    THESE AREN'T PENNY SALES TAX MONIES THAT COME DIRECTLY TO THE DISTRICT AND SIT WITH US.

    THOSE MONIES ARE INVESTED BY OUR COUNTY TREASURER.

    AND THEN EVERY MONTH, AS WE SPEND ON PROJECTS OR AS THERE ARE DEBT SERVICE PAYMENTS, WE'RE

    [00:15:11]

    TAKING DRAW REQUESTS FROM THOSE FUNDS HELD ON BEHALF OF THE COUNTY TREASURER.

    VOTERS DID, AS PART OF THAT INITIAL VOTE, APPROVED THE SECOND QUESTION.

    IT ALLOWED US TO ISSUE DEBT OF UP TO 125 MILLION TO JUMP START THOSE PROJECTS.

    COUNTY TREASURERS ALSO HELD THOSE FUNDS THROUGHOUT, AND WE TAKE DRAWS OFF OF THAT.

    THROUGH 2023, AUGUST OF 2023, WE COLLECTED ALMOST $185.4 MILLION.

    SO ABOUT 98% OF THAT HORRYGINAL PROJECTION HAD BEEN COLLECTED, BUT ONLY 85% OF THE WAY THROUGH.

    SO THE GOOD THING IN THIS CASE IS THAT COLLECTIONS AREN'T CAPPED.

    IT'S NOT A SITUATION WHERE IT'S TEN YEARS OR 188 MILLION, SO ANYTHING COLLECTED OVER AND ABOVE IS STILL OURS TO USE FOR PROPERTY TAX RELIEF OR FOR THOSE IDENTIFIED PROJECTS.

    YOU SEE HERE OUR COLLECTIONS BY YEAR.

    UM, 1415 WAS A PARTIAL YEAR.

    IT WAS ONLY FOUR MONTHS AND 23-24 WAS ONLY TWO MONTHS WORTH OF COLLECTIONS.

    WE SHOULD HAVE SEPTEMBER 2023 COLLECTIONS ANYTIME NOW, BUT YOU'LL SEE EACH YEAR GRADUAL INCREASES IN THOSE AMOUNTS. WE'RE PLEASED THAT EVERY SINGLE YEAR THE COLLECTIONS HAVE EXCEEDED THE PRIOR YEAR, HAVE EXCEEDED PROJECTIONS FROM THE STATE FOR EACH OF THOSE YEARS.

    UM, RIGHT NOW IT'S LOOKING LIKE WE'LL PROBABLY COLLECT BETWEEN 220 AND 225 MILLION.

    BUT BY THE END OF THIS SO, SO GOOD, 30 MILLION IN EXCESS OF THE STATE'S PROJECTIONS AND WHICH THEY WERE WORKING OFF OF FIRST TIME ESTIMATES, IT WAS THERE WERE A LOT OF UNKNOWNS THERE TOO.

    UM, ANOTHER KEY POINT THAT'S NOT ON THIS SLIDE, BUT, WE'D HEARD IN THE PAST MENTIONED THAT ABOUT A THIRD, MAYBE A LITTLE MORE THAN A THIRD OF PENNY SALES TAX COLLECTIONS OR SALES TAX COLLECTIONS ARE GENERATED FROM FOLKS FROM OUTSIDE OF THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT. SO FOLKS THAT MAYBE LIVE IN A NEIGHBORING COUNTY AND COME OVER HERE, FOLKS THAT ARE JUST PASSING THROUGH.

    MAYBE SOME FOLKS THAT ARE HERE FOR STEEPLECHASE OR MASTERS OR THINGS LIKE THAT.

    SO WE GET A HUGE BENEFIT FROM FOLKS THAT, DON'T LIVE IN OUR DISTRICT, DON'T ATTEND OUR SCHOOLS.

    WHENEVER WE LOOK AT PROPERTY TAX RELIEF, WITH 10% OF COLLECTIONS GOING BACK TO TAXPAYERS, YOU SEE THE BREAKDOWN PER YEAR.

    AND AS COLLECTIONS HAVE CONTINUED TO GROW THESE, THE DEBT RELIEF HAS GROWN OVER ITS LIFE.

    ON A ON A PRIMARY RESIDENCE OF $100,000, IT SAVED $99 IN CHANGE.

    YOU SEE WHAT THE SAVINGS WOULD BE PER 100,000 ON 6% PROPERTY DURING THAT.

    SO OVERALL, 24.79 MILLS OF PROPERTY TAX RELIEF TO TAXPAYERS.

    WE HAVE PRIOR PROJECTS ON THAT FIRST BALLOT IN 2014, AND WE KNEW IN ADVANCE, LOOKING AT THOSE PROJECTS THAT THE COSTS WERE FAR GOING TO EXCEED WHAT THE PENNY SALES TAX WAS BRINGING IN.

    SO WHENEVER WE DEVISE THOSE PLANS, WE WERE LOOKING AT IT WORKING IN COMBINATION WITH 8% MONIES.

    NOW, THE BEAUTY OF SALES TAX COMING IN STRONG IS THAT PLANS HAVE BEEN A LITTLE FLUID.

    WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO USE MORE SALES TAX FOR SOME PROJECTS WHERE WE THOUGHT EARLY ON MAYBE WE WOULD HAVE TO USE MORE 8%.

    THAT'S BENEFITED SOME OTHER PROJECTS.

    BUT A QUICK RUNDOWN.

    LEAVELLE MCCAMPBELL, EXCUSE ME, THE ORIGINAL BUILDING WAS DONE ALMOST ENTIRELY WITH 8% FUNDS.

    WE HAVE APPLIED SOME SALES TAX TO THAT WITH SOME RECENT IMPROVEMENTS.

    AIKEN HIGH NORTH, AUGUSTA HIGH, WERE EXCLUSIVELY WITH SALES TAX, NOW THIS IS SINCE THE SALES TAX CAME INTO EXISTENCE.

    PRIOR TO THAT THERE WAS A COUPLE OF PHASES AT EACH THAT WAS PAID FOR OUT OF 8%.

    BUT SINCE SALES TAX CAME INTO EXISTENCE, SALES TAX HAS COVERED THE COST OF WORK AT THOSE SCHOOLS.

    [00:20:08]

    THE RSM CAMPUS HAS BEEN A COMBINATION OF SALES TAX AND 8%.

    AND AS WE SAW SALES TAX CONTINUED TO COME IN STRONG.

    WE WERE ABLE TO PULL BACK ON THE DOLLARS THAT WE HAD SET ASIDE IN 8%.

    WHICH ULTIMATELY BENEFITED SOME OTHER PROJECTS, LIKE A WAGENER-SALLEY HIGH SCHOOL THAT YES, WE WE HAVE ESSER FUNDS THAT WE'RE USING FOR PART OF IT, BUT THAT FREED UP 8% FUNDS THAT WE'RE USING THERE TOO.

    ONE THING I DO WANT TO MENTION, JUST SIDEBAR, I WAS IN THIS MEETING EARLY ON IN MY CAREER, AND THERE WAS A THERE WAS A MASTER PLAN FOR SIM'S CAMPUS HIGH SCHOOL, AND IT WAS BEING BUILT IN 7 OR 8 PHASES.

    AND THE ESTIMATE PRIOR TO PENNY SALES TAX AND USING 8% ALONE BASED ON EXISTING FUNDING.

    AND, YOU KNOW, JUST GUESSWORK WAS THAT THEY COULD COMPLETE ALL OF THESE PHASES BY 2035.

    AND I REMEMBER THAT BECAUSE I WAS THINKING, ALL RIGHT, WELL, I'LL BE ABLE TO MARK MY RETIREMENT WITH THAT.

    BUT, UM, I MEAN, IT'S IT WAS A LONG WAYS OUT, AND PENNY SALES TAX ALLOWED US TO ACCOMPLISH THE ENTIRE RECONSTRUCTION OF OF THOSE FACILITIES.

    AND THEN MORE RECENTLY, WE HAVE THE CAREER CENTER.

    WE'RE GETTING $30 MILLION IN MAX MONIES, BUT THAT'S A PROJECT THAT'S ANTICIPATED AT 54 MILLION.

    AND WE'LL USE SALES TAX TO FINISH IT OUT.

    SO HUGE BENEFIT HERE FROM THE PENNY SALES TAX.

    BUT AGAIN IT'S, THESE HAVE DIRECTLY BENEFITED FROM SALES TAX, OTHERS HAVE INDIRECTLY BENEFITED BECAUSE OF THE STRENGTH OF IT AND OUR ABILITY TO USE 8% FOR SOME OTHER THINGS, INSTEAD OF CONTRIBUTING AS MUCH TO THESE PROJECTS.

    WHENEVER WE LOOK AT RENEWAL CONSIDERATIONS.

    THE CURRENT TAX ENDS FEBRUARY 25.

    I MENTIONED THAT EARLIER.

    IT'S NO AUTOMATIC RENEWAL.

    THE EARLIEST DATE COULD GO TO VOTERS IS NOVEMBER 2024, AND APPROVAL WOULD BE REQUIRED THERE TO AVOID ANY LAPSE IN COLLECTIONS.

    MADE A LOT OF IMPROVEMENTS IN FACILITIES OVER THE YEARS, BUT THERE ARE STILL SIGNIFICANT NEEDS THERE.

    BE IDENTIFIED PROJECTS I'LL COVER MOMENTARILY THAT MAY BE POSSIBLE CONSIDERATIONS.

    WE DID REACH OUT TO THE OFFICE OF REVENUE AND FISCAL AFFAIRS, KNOWING THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO UTILIZE THOSE ESTIMATES FOR ANY PLANNING THAT WE HAD.

    SO WE HAVE REACHED OUT TO THAT GROUP.

    WE'VE INCLUDED A LETTER IN YOUR PACKET.

    IF RENEWED.

    IN ALL LIKELIHOOD, WE MAY BE IN A SITUATION WHERE THIS AGAIN IS WORKING IN COMBINATION WITH 8% MONIES.

    OF COURSE, DEPENDING ON WHAT THE PROJECTS ARE AND WHAT THE SCOPE IS AND ANTICIPATED COST.

    BUT IT MAY WORK IN COMBINATION WITH 8% OR IF ANY OTHER UNKNOWN FUNDING SOURCE LIKE A MOSQUE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, COMES ABOUT AT SOME POINT. IN SIMILAR TO LAST TIME.

    THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE BOARD GOES FORWARD WITH.

    I KNOW THAT WE WOULD HAVE AN ABUNDANCE OF INFO SESSIONS.

    WE HAD PROBABLY 55 OR 60 INFORMATION SESSIONS WITH PRETTY MUCH ANY GROUP THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.

    LAST TIME, PROPONENTS OF IT, OPPONENTS OF IT, WE WENT EVERYWHERE TO ANY CIVIC GROUP.

    WE, MR. SMITH, WE WENT TO, I THINK AMERICAN LEGION OR SOMEWHERE, AND THEY HAD CHICKEN BOG ONE DAY FOR LUNCH AND MARY GLENN WERE AND MARY GLENN AND I WERE DOWN THERE.

    SO WE WENT ALL OVER THE PLACE.

    AND IT WAS IT WAS A LOT OF WORK.

    IT WAS WELL WORTH IT.

    BUT JUST BEING TRANSPARENT AND SHARING THAT INFO.

    POSSIBLE PROJECTS.

    ITERATIONS. THIS MAY BE PARED DOWN.

    THERE MAY BE OTHER ITEMS THAT ARE LISTED.

    BUT THOSE THAT ARE MORE AT THE FOREFRONT SOUTH AIKEN, SILVER BLUFF, MIDLAND VALLEY, NORTH AUGUSTA, MIDDLE, LBC MIDDLE. AREA FIVE MIDDLE SCHOOLS GLOVERVILLE, KENNEDY, PAUL KNOX, JEFFERSON AND ALSO ADDING

    [00:25:08]

    SECURITY ON HERE NOW.

    MISS HAUSER IS GOING TO COME UP IN A MOMENT.

    SHE MAY PROVIDE SOME ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATION ON SECURITY RELATED ITEMS, BUT THESE ARE POSSIBLE CONSIDERATIONS RIGHT NOW, AND I'M SURE THAT THEY'LL WANT A LOT MORE DISCUSSION HERE IN COMING MONTHS.

    SO AT THIS TIME, UNLESS THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS MOMENT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO MS..

    HEIZER AND SHE CAN SHARE SOME ADDITIONAL INFO.

    ALL RIGHT. GOOD EVENING, MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.

    THANK YOU ALL FOR LETTING US BE WITH YOU ALL TONIGHT.

    I'D REALLY LIKE TO COMPLIMENT Y'ALL.

    Y'ALL ARE REALLY WELL PREPARED AND IN A GREAT POSITION TO START THE BEGINNING OF THIS PROCESS TO CONSIDER REIMPOSITION.

    AND SO I CONGRATULATE Y'ALL ON STARTING AS EARLY AS YOU ARE.

    I DO THINK THAT THE LAST TEN YEARS HAVE BEEN HUGELY SUCCESSFUL OR APPROXIMATELY TEN YEARS, EIGHT YEARS.

    AND WE CERTAINLY LOOK FORWARD TO HELPING YOU ALL WITH THE REIMPOSITION THAT GIVES YOU ANOTHER TEN YEARS OF OF SUCCESS.

    MY MATERIAL IS NOT GOING TO BE ON THE BOARD, BUT I THINK YOU'VE GOT THE HANDOUTS.

    AND I JUST WANTED TO BRIEFLY SORT OF GO OVER WHAT A GENERIC STEPS FOR FOR RECONSIDERATION.

    AND YOU'VE ALREADY STARTED WITH THE IDEA OF THINKING ABOUT YOUR POTENTIAL PROJECTS AND DISCUSSING THE PROJECTS AMONGST THE SCHOOL BOARD, BECAUSE ALTHOUGH YOUR VOTERS ARE THE ULTIMATE DECISION MAKERS, Y'ALL WILL MAKE THE DECISION ABOUT WHAT PROJECTS WILL BE ON THE BALLOT.

    AND SO I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT THERE BE DISCUSSION AND UNDERSTANDING AND REALLY CONSENSUS AMONG THE BOARD.

    THE MORE UNIFIED THE BOARD IS, THE MORE LIKELY IT IS THAT YOUR COMMUNITY IS GOING TO BE SUPPORTIVE.

    AS TREY MENTIONED, Y'ALL WENT OUT AND POUNDED THE PAVEMENT.

    I MEAN, YOU DID RETAIL POLITICS AND TALKED TO ANYBODY THAT WOULD LISTEN BACK IN 2014, AND IT'S NOT TOO EARLY TO START DOING THAT SORT OF COMMUNITY OUTREACH NOW. GIVE PEOPLE AN OPPORTUNITY TO FEEL LIKE THAT THEY'RE HAVING SOME INPUT OR THAT THEIR VOICE IS BEING HEARD.

    I DON'T KNOW THAT Y'ALL REALLY NEED TO DO THIS, BUT IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE FOR YOU ALL TO TO ENGAGE IN SOME SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH.

    YOU COULD USE SCHOOL DISTRICT RESOURCES TO HIRE SOMEONE, TO DO A SURVEY, TO DO A POLL, TO DO FOCUS GROUPS.

    THAT IS A TOTALLY LEGITIMATE USE OF YOUR SCHOOL DISTRICT RESOURCES AS YOU ARE IN YOUR DECISION MAKING PROCESS.

    THAT WILL BE DIFFERENT IN A FEW MONTHS, BUT RIGHT NOW, YOU CAN USE DISTRICT RESOURCES TO TRY TO IDENTIFY WHAT IT IS THAT YOUR VOTERS WILL SUPPORT.

    AND DO THEY AGREE WITH YOUR LIST OF PROJECTS? DO THEY NOT AGREE WITH YOUR LIST OF PROJECTS? SO THAT IS CERTAINLY AN OPTION FOR Y'ALL.

    AT SOME POINT, YOU WILL NEED TO DECIDE AS A BOARD WHETHER YOU'RE GOING TO INCLUDE A BOND QUESTION WITH YOUR SALES TAX QUESTION.

    EVERY SCHOOL DISTRICT, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF HORRY COUNTY, HAS INCLUDED TWO QUESTIONS.

    THE FIRST ONE IS FOR THE SALES TAX, AND THE SECOND IS FOR THE BONDS AND THE BONDS.

    THE PROJECTS IN THE BOND QUESTION ARE THE SAME PROJECTS AND THE SALES TAX QUESTION.

    SO BASICALLY YOU COMBINE THE SALES TAX AND THE GEO BONDS AS YOU ALL GET INTO LATER INTO THE IN THE SPRING AND SOMETIME IN THE LATE SPRING OR SUMMER, WE WOULD BRING YOU A RESOLUTION ORDERING THE REFERENDUM.

    IN THAT REFERENDUM, IN THAT RESOLUTION, WE WOULD HAVE THE OFFICIAL QUESTION THAT YOUR VOTERS WILL VOTE ON.

    YOU WOULD ALSO DECIDE AT THAT TIME, IF YOU WANT THAT SECOND QUESTION FOR THE ISSUANCE OF GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS.

    I ALWAYS TELL PEOPLE THAT IF I FALL OFF THE FACE OF THE EARTH, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT Y'ALL KNOW THAT IN ORDER TO HAVE YOUR BALLOT QUESTION ON THE GENERAL ELECTION BALLOT IN NOVEMBER, YOU MUST PROVIDE A CERTIFIED COPY OF YOUR RESOLUTION ORDERING THE SALES TAX AND BOND REFERENDUM TO YOUR LOCAL ELECTION COMMISSION NO LATER THAN NOON ON AUGUST THE 15TH.

    THAT IS A A HARD DEADLINE, AND WE DON'T WANT TO DO ANYTHING THAT WOULD CAUSE US ACCIDENTALLY TO TO MISS THAT DEADLINE, WHICH IS ONE REASON WHY.

    WHILE WE RECOMMEND THAT YOU GO AHEAD AND MAKE YOUR DECISIONS AND ADOPT YOUR RESOLUTION AND MAYBE SOMETIME IN THE SUMMER.

    BUT THERE IS SOME STRATEGY INVOLVED WITH WHEN YOU MAKE WHEN YOU TAKE YOUR VOTE, WHEN YOU DECIDE TO BRING THE BALLOT TO THE BOARD FOR THE BOARD'S OFFICIAL

    [00:30:03]

    VOTE. AND THAT IS BECAUSE AFTER YOU HAVE VOTED TO HOLD THE REFERENDUM, THE SALES TAX REFERENDUM AND OR THE BOND REFERENDUM, THE STATE ETHICS ACT COMES INTO PLAY.

    AND FROM THAT VOTE FORWARD, YOU CANNOT USE SCHOOL DISTRICT RESOURCES TO ADVOCATE FOR THE OUTCOME OF THE ELECTION.

    YOU CAN EDUCATE AND INFORM AND SPREAD THE WORD AND REMIND PEOPLE THAT THERE IS A BALLOT QUESTION, BUT YOU CANNOT USE ANY SCHOOL DISTRICT RESOURCES TO ADVOCATE, AND WE'LL GET INTO MORE OF THAT LATER AS Y'ALL GET CLOSER TO THAT KEY DATE.

    BUT WE REMIND PEOPLE THAT SCHOOL DISTRICT RESOURCES INCLUDES TIME, TIME OF.

    FOR YEARS. IT INCLUDES EQUIPMENT LIKE TECHNOLOGY.

    IT INCLUDES EMAILS, IT INCLUDES DATA.

    AND SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT FROM THE TIME YOU ACTUALLY VOTE FOR THE REFERENDUM TO GO FORWARD, FROM THAT POINT FORWARD, WE'RE FOLLOWING THE DO'S AND DON'TS. AND I HAVE A COPY OF THOSE IN IN THIS PRESENTATION FOR YOU ALL.

    BUT BUT THAT'S THE DO'S AND DON'TS DON'T APPLY RIGHT NOW.

    YOU CAN STILL GO FULL STEAM AHEAD.

    THERE WOULD PRESUMABLY BE A SUCCESSFUL REFERENDUM.

    WE WOULD GET THE CERTIFIED RESULTS OF THE REFERENDUM TO YOU.

    WE WOULD FILE THEM WITH THE CLERK OF COURT AND WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE, AND YOUR SALES TAX WOULD BE RE-IMPOSED UPON THAT DATE IN FEBRUARY.

    I THINK IT IS OF 2015.

    AND SO THERE'S NO MAGIC TO THIS, YOU KNOW, IDENTIFYING YOUR PROJECTS, REACHING OUT TO YOUR COMMUNITY, BUILDING A CONSENSUS AMONG YOURSELVES AND YOUR COMMUNITY, AND THEN USING YOUR BEST RESOURCES TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC.

    I MEAN, THAT'S THE I THINK, THE KEY TO A SUCCESSFUL REIMPOSITION.

    AND DO YOU ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT SO FAR? WELL, THE NEXT THE NEXT PAGE IS ACTUALLY THE SALES TAX QUESTION THAT WAS USED IN 2024, EXCUSE ME, 2014.

    AND YOU'LL SEE THAT IT SPECIFIES THE 10% THAT GOES DIRECTLY TO DEBT SERVICE REDUCTION DEBT SERVICE MILLAGE, AND THEN 90% OF THE AVAILABLE 90% WOULD BE USED AS FOLLOWS.

    AND YOU'VE GOT EITHER A BOND REFERENDUM IF A BOND REFERENDUM IS SUCCESSFUL.

    BUT IF IT'S NOT, YOU WOULD USE A SALES TAX DIRECTLY.

    WE CALL THAT PAY AS YOU GO.

    YOU COULD USE THE SALES TAX DIRECTLY.

    YOU COULD ISSUE 8% BONDS AND USE THE SALES TAX TO RETIRE THOSE 8% BONDS.

    OR IF THE BOND REFERENDUM WAS SUCCESSFUL, YOU WOULD BORROW UP TO NOT TO EXCEED 125 MILLION WAS THE NUMBER THE MAXIMUM NUMBER LAST YEAR BASED ON THE FORMULA THAT MIKE GALLAGHER AND HIS PEOPLE WILL DO, HELP Y'ALL WORK THROUGH THAT FORMULA OF 90% OF 90% IS 81%.

    AND THE DIFFERENCE THIS YEAR WILL BE YOU'RE GOING TO START WITH A MUCH HIGHER NUMBER.

    IT'S NOT GOING TO BE REALLY JUST AN ESTIMATE FROM THE BUREAU OF ECONOMIC ADVISORS.

    YOU'VE GOT ACTUAL NUMBERS THAT YOU CAN RELY ON.

    AND AS MR. TRAXLER SAID, YOU HAVE YOUR COLLECTIONS HAVE GREATLY EXCEEDED THE ORIGINAL ESTIMATES.

    AND SO YOU'RE STARTING NUMBER FOR THIS REIMPOSITION WILL BE A HIGHER NUMBER.

    AND SO IT WILL BE ALL DECISION ABOUT TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE HIGHER NUMBER AND WHAT NUMBER YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN A BOND REFERENDUM.

    AND THAT WILL GO BACK TO YOUR PROJECTS AND YOUR TIMING AND THE 8% PROGRAM.

    BUT THOSE WILL BE THINGS THAT THAT YOU ALL WOULD WE WOULD BE WORKING OUT WITH YOU ALL THROUGH THIS WINTER, SPRING AND EARLY SUMMER.

    AND THEN AT THE END, THE LAST TWO SENTENCES JUST REINFORCE THAT THE REVENUE IS GOING TO BE USED TO PROVIDE EITHER PROPERTY TAX REDUCTIONS OR TO PAY FOR THE COST OF THE PROJECTS IDENTIFIED ABOVE.

    THE NEXT PAGE IS ACTUALLY A IS THE SALES TAX QUESTION THAT HORRY COUNTY USED IN ITS REIMPOSITION, HORRY COUNTY WAS THE FIRST COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THE STATE TO USE THE EDUCATION CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT SALES TAX ACT.

    IN FACT, HISTORY WOULD SHOW THAT ACT WAS PASSED FOR HORRY COUNTY AND AND THE THE WAY WE KNOW THAT IS THAT THERE'S ALL THIS LANGUAGE ABOUT HOW YOU CAN USE FOR A SCHOOL DISTRICT, HOW A SCHOOL DISTRICT CAN SHARE WITH LOCAL EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS LIKE COASTAL CAROLINA OR HORRY GEORGETOWN TECH.

    AND AT THE END OF THIS LEGISLATION, THIS, THIS ACT, THERE WERE LIKE TWO SENTENCES THAT SAID, THIS ACT IS AVAILABLE ONLY IN COUNTIES

    [00:35:10]

    WHERE $7 MILLION OR MORE OF STATE ACCOMMODATIONS TAXES ARE COLLECTED.

    SO WHAT PURPORTED TO BE A STATEWIDE ACT REALLY ONLY APPLIED AT THAT TIME TO HORRY AND CHARLESTON, AND THE SHARING OF REVENUE WAS AN IDEA THAT HORRY HAD BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO BE ABLE TO HAVE SUPPORTERS OF BOTH COASTAL AND HORRY GEORGETOWN TECH VOTE FOR THE SALES TAX.

    THE DIFFERENCE IS THAT IN HORRY COUNTY, THE COUNTIES THE SCHOOL DISTRICT SHARE IS $60 MILLION A YEAR.

    AND SO YOU GO TO A SCHOOL DISTRICT WHERE A REALLY STRONG SALES TAX IS 8 OR 10 MILLION.

    THERE'S NOT THAT MUCH REVENUE TO SHARE.

    ALSO, HORRY COUNTY HAS THE FULL 15 YEARS OF OF THE ACT.

    YOUR THE LEGISLATION PASSED FOR AIKEN LIMITS YOU ALL TO TEN YEARS.

    SO SCHOOL DISTRICT ALREADY GETS AN EXTRA FIVE YEARS.

    AND SO THEY'VE MADE THEIR QUESTION AS GENERAL AS IT CAN BE AND STILL PASS MUSTER WITH THE STATUTE.

    YOUR QUESTION, IF YOU GO BACK TO THE EARLIER TO THE PAGE BEFORE, YOU ALL WERE MUCH MORE SPECIFIC.

    UM, MY BELIEF IS THAT Y'ALL WILL CONTINUE TO BE IN A POSITION TO USE A MORE SPECIFIC QUESTION. AND THAT'S FOR TWO REASONS.

    ONE IS THAT'S WHAT YOUR VOTERS PROBABLY WILL EXPECT.

    AND NUMBER TWO, YOU WILL.

    AT THE BEGINNING OF YOUR TEN YEARS, Y'ALL WILL HAVE A PRETTY GOOD IDEA OF HOW MUCH MONEY WILL BE COLLECTED AND WHAT THAT CAN PAY FOR, WITH PROJECTS.

    IN HORRY, THEY'RE COLLECTING SO MUCH THAT THEY DON'T KNOW TODAY WHAT THEY MIGHT NEED IN EIGHT YEARS OR 12 YEARS, OR IN THESE 15 YEARS.

    BUT I DID WANT TO SHOW YOU THE THE SPECIFIC TYPE OF QUESTION AND THEN THE LESS SPECIFIC TYPE THAT WE USED IN HORRY.

    HORRY WAS SUCCESSFUL IN THE REIMPOSITION OF THEIR SALES TAX AND THEY'RE VERY HAPPY THAT THEY HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE TO TO TAKE THE BENEFIT.

    AS TREY MENTIONED, THE ESTIMATES HERE ARE THAT MAYBE 30% OF THE SALES TAX REVENUE COMES FROM FOLKS OUTSIDE THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.

    IN HORRY THAT NUMBER IS PROBABLY CLOSER TO 50 OR 60% JUST BECAUSE OF THE TOURISM ECONOMY.

    AND THE LAST THING I HAVE IN MY PRESENTATION IS JUST THE THE THE DO'S AND DON'TS.

    IT'S NOT TO SCARE ANYBODY.

    IT'S NOT TO KEEP PEOPLE FROM THINKING THAT THAT, OH, I CAN'T DO ANYTHING, BUT IT'S JUST VERY IMPORTANT THAT THAT ONCE THE ETHICS ACT APPLIES, ONCE YOU'VE TAKEN THE VOTE TO PUT THE REFERENDUM ON THE BALLOT, I WILL WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH THE ADMINISTRATION, AND YOUR PUBLIC INFORMATION PERSON WILL BE ON SPEED DIAL, AND WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT THE THINGS THAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT PUBLISHES, WHAT YOU DISTRIBUTE, WHAT YOU PUT ON YOUR WEBSITE WILL ALL FIT THE DEFINITION OF EDUCATION AND THAT YOU WILL NOT SPILL OVER INTO ADVOCACY.

    BUT AT THIS POINT, THIS RULE DOESN'T APPLY.

    THE STATE ETHICS ACT IN THIS INSTANCE, DOES IT PREVENT YOU FROM TALKING TO PEOPLE, GINNING UP SUPPORT, MEETING WITH POTENTIAL SUPPORTERS WHO MAY ULTIMATELY BECOME BECOME THE, A GROUP THAT OUTSIDE THE SCHOOL DISTRICT MIGHT BECOME AN ADVOCACY GROUP.

    SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT Y'ALL MIGHT BE WANTING TO THINK ABOUT AS YOU MOVE TOWARDS THE DATE THAT YOU TAKE YOUR VOTE.

    AND LET ME MENTION TO YOU THE SECURITY QUESTION THAT THAT TREY POINTED OUT.

    Y'ALL HAVE BEEN AUDITED BY SCDOR AND THEY WERE VERY HAPPY AND VERY PLEASED AND GAVE BIG CHECK MARK FOR THE MANNER IN WHICH AIKEN SCHOOL DISTRICT WAS SPENDING THEIR SALES TAX.

    SO Y'ALL HAVE DONE THINGS CORRECTLY AND I CONGRATULATE YOU ON THAT.

    BUT THERE ARE SOME INDICATIONS THAT DOR WOULD HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT WHETHER STANDALONE EQUIPMENT MEETS THE DEFINITION OF A CAPITAL PROJECT.

    IT DOES IN SOME RESPECTS IT DOES FOR IRS TAX YOU KNOW TAX PURPOSES, AND IT MAY FOR ACCOUNTING PURPOSES.

    BUT THERE WE DO HAVE SOME INDICATION FROM DOR THAT THIS SALES TAX NEEDS TO GO FOR BRICKS AND MORTAR.

    AND I WOULD SAY BRICKS AND MORTAR AND EQUIPMENT THAT ARE PART OF THAT BRICKS AND MORTAR.

    SO THE DIFFERENCE WOULD BE IF YOU NEEDED TEN ACTIVITY BUSSES, I WOULD NOT THINK THAT THE SALES TAX WOULD WORK FOR THAT TYPE OF

    [00:40:08]

    STANDALONE EQUIPMENT.

    IF YOU NEED TECHNOLOGY TO PUT INTO A CLASSROOM THAT YOU ARE RENOVATING USING DEBT OR SALES TAX REVENUE DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, I THINK THAT TYPE OF EQUIPMENT WOULD QUALIFY.

    SO IF YOU'RE TALKING SECURITY EQUIPMENT, THAT'S GOING TO BE PART OF A CONSTRUCTION PROJECT, I THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE INCLUDED.

    AND I'M THINKING JUST AS I'M STANDING HERE AND AFTER TALKING A LITTLE BIT THAT I HAVE THE ABILITY, I CAN I CAN ENGAGE IN A DISCUSSION WITH DOR BECAUSE THE QUESTION ABOUT SECURITY COULD MEAN THINGS LIKE THE METAL DETECTORS, FOR EXAMPLE.

    WOULD THAT BE A CAPITAL PROJECT UNDER THIS THE STATUTE.

    AND SO I'M GOING TO DO SOME OF THAT RESEARCH ON MY OWN TO BE ABLE TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION MORE DEFINITIVELY AS YOU MOVE THROUGH THE PROCESS.

    BUT RIGHT NOW, I WOULD TELL YOU THAT IF YOU'RE INSTALLING EQUIPMENT AS PART OF A BRICKS AND MORTAR PROJECT, THEN IT WOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE ACT, UNDER THE ACT AND WOULD BE A LEGITIMATE EXPENDITURE.

    I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, BUT AS I SAID AT THE BEGINNING, Y'ALL ARE STARTING THIS AT THE PERFECT TIME.

    AND SO I'M HAPPY TO COME BACK AS Y'ALL WANT TO DISCUSS THIS FURTHER AS QUESTIONS COME UP, IF YOU'LL JUST PASS THEM TO THE ADMINISTRATION AND I'LL BE GLAD TO WORK ON ANSWERS THE BOARD.

    HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? OH, MR. SMITH.

    MIC] NO DIRECT ROLE.

    YOUR LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION PLAYED A VERY KEY ROLE IN HAVING THE 2014 AMENDMENTS MADE TO THE ACT THAT ALLOWED AIKEN AND A NUMBER OF MANY OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO UTILIZE THE SALES TAX.

    WHAT HAPPENED IN 2014, LARGELY WITH WITH EFFORTS THAT STARTED HERE IN AIKEN, THERE WERE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT NEEDING TO CHANGE THE CAPITAL, EDUCATION CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT, SALES TAX TO LET SCHOOL DISTRICTS OTHER THAN JUST HORRY AND CHARLESTON BE ABLE TO USE THE SALES TAX.

    AND THERE WERE THERE ARE ABOUT 7 OR 8 CATEGORIES THAT WERE ADDED TO THE THE APPROVED LIST AND THE MATERIAL THAT TREY HAD UP ON THE BOARD.

    THAT SAID, A SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT HAS ALL OF ONE COUNTY AND A LITTLE BIT OF ANOTHER COUNTY.

    SO THAT'S AIKEN, YOU ALL HAVE THIS AND, AND AND IF THIS AND THIS AND FOR THIS, THIS CATEGORY, THE SALES TAX SHOULD ONLY BE IMPOSED FOR TEN YEARS.

    AND YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE 10% GO DIRECTLY AND THEN THEN 90% OR OF OF THE 90%, THAT WAS ALL NEGOTIATIONS WORKED OUT BETWEEN THE BOARD AT THAT TIME AND YOUR LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION.

    MIC] RIGHT TO SHARE.

    YES, SIR.

    YOU HAVE THE OPTION.

    THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT AND EVERY SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT THAT OPERATES UNDER THE SALES TAX ACT HAS THE OPTION OF SHARING IT SALES TAX REVENUE WITH ONE OR MORE PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION.

    AND AS I SAY, THAT WAS SPECIFICALLY PUT INTO THE ACT BECAUSE POLITICALLY, THE FOLKS IN HORRY WANTED SUPPORT FROM COASTAL SUPPORTERS AND TECH SUPPORTERS.

    AND SO IT'S 20% OF THE REVENUE IN HORRY GOES IS DIVIDED.

    I THINK THE COASTAL GETS 13 ABOUT AND THE TECH GETS SEVEN.

    BUT WHEN YOU CAN SHARE 20% OF YOUR REVENUE AND STILL OVER 15 YEARS HAVE $1 BILLION COME IN, I MEAN, THAT'S RELATIVELY EASY TO DO.

    NONE OF THE OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT HAVE SALES TAXES NOW AND HAVE COME UNDER THIS ACT, NONE OF THEM HAVE SHARED

    [00:45:03]

    WITH OTHER INSTITUTIONS, AND LARGELY BECAUSE THEY REALLY NEED ALL OF THE REVENUE FOR THEIR OWN PURPOSES.

    AND, AND THAT WOULD BE SHARED MIGHT BE SO SMALL AS TO NOT BE VERY IMPACTFUL IF PIECES OF MUCH SMALLER STREAMS OF REVENUE WERE SHARED AROUND.

    SERVE. ALL RIGHTY.

    THANK YOU. MA'AM.

    APPRECIATE THAT, SIR, AND I APPRECIATE I THINK THIS WAS A AS FRANNIE WAS SAYING, THIS IS A GOOD TIME TO START JUST EVEN THINKING ABOUT THIS AND THINKING ABOUT GETTING THE LAY OF THE LAND, A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY, AS WELL AS THE GUIDE RAILS THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TRAVEL DOWN AS WE GO FORWARD.

    AND I'M SURE, AS IN SOMETIME NEAR FUTURE AS A BOARD, WE'LL ESTABLISH A SCHEDULE FOR HOW WE WANT THIS TO OCCUR THROUGHOUT NEXT YEAR. BUT THIS WAS CERTAINLY GOOD BACKGROUND INFO BEFORE WE EVEN START THINKING ABOUT IT FURTHER.

    WAS THERE ANY OTHER ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD ABOUT ANYTHING WE DISCUSSED ABOUT PENNY SALES TAX? THE MAJORITY OF SALES TAX QUESTIONS ON BALLOTS HAVE BEEN APPROVED FOR BOTH SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND COUNTIES.

    THE. THERE WAS ONE RECENT SCHOOL DISTRICT WHERE THE COMMUNITY DIDN'T HAVE CONSENSUS AND THE BOARD DIDN'T HAVE CONSENSUS.

    AND I THINK THE COMMUNITY QUESTIONED THE THE SORT OF VALUE OF WHAT THE PENNY HAD BEEN USED FOR.

    AND I KNOW THAT WAS AN UNSUCCESSFUL EFFORT.

    BUT MOST THE LEXINGTON DISTRICTS HAVE REAUTHORIZED, CHEROKEES REAUTHORIZED, HORRY IS REAUTHORIZED NOW A NUMBER OF DISTRICTS BACK BEFORE 2008, BEFORE THIS ACT WAS PASSED, THEY GOT THEIR PERMISSION TO DO A SALES TAX BY LOCAL LEGISLATION.

    AND SO CHEROKEE WAS THE FIRST SCHOOL DISTRICT BACK IN 94, I THINK, TO HAVE A HAVE A SPECIAL.

    AND SO WE HAD CHESTERFIELD JASPER SCHOOL DISTRICT, LEXINGTON'S RIDGELAND TRIED IT AND WAS UNSUCCESSFUL IN RICHLAND MARLBORO GOING THROUGH FROM LOCAL LEGISLATION.

    BUT THE THE WAY LAW HAS CHANGED SINCE OH EIGHT.

    THE ALL THOSE DISTRICTS THAT HAD LOCAL LEGISLATION AND SALES TAX AUTHORIZED ARE GRANDFATHERED IN.

    BUT TO REIMPOSE THE SALES TAX THEY HAVE TO USE THIS ACT.

    AND SO THEY DON'T HAVE ALL THE RULES Y'ALL HAVE.

    Y'ALL HAVE THE MOST RESTRICTIVE, THE MOST STRINGS ATTACHED TO HOW YOU CAN USE YOUR SALES TAX.

    AND THAT, AGAIN, WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS NEGOTIATED AND HAS STILL, EVEN WITH THOSE CONSTRAINTS, BEEN HUGELY SUCCESSFUL FOR Y'ALL.

    SO I CONGRATULATE THE FOLKS THAT KEPT TO IT AND KEPT GOING AND GETTING THAT DONE FOR YOU IN 2014.

    BUT WHEN THE BOARDS HAVE A CONSENSUS, WHEN THE COMMUNITY SUPPORTS THE BOARD, IT'S THE SUCCESS RATE HAS BEEN VERY, VERY HIGH.

    WITH THAT, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN.

    [00:50:02]

    SECOND. MOTION BY MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON, SECONDED BY MR. SMITH. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF ADJOURNING, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

    THAT'S SIX IN FAVOR. MOTION CARRIES.

    WE ARE ADJOURNED.

    * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.