Published: May 06, 2008 10:41 pm      

Official explains levy vote

LEWISBURG — Greenbrier County Schools Superintendent John Curry wants county voters to understand why a special excess levy that’s been in place since 1974 will be on next Tuesday’s ballot.

“Voters will be asked to continue the special school levy that has been in place for the last 34 years,” Curry said. “The board of education is not requesting an increase in the levy rate, only the continuation of the special levy that is currently in place.”

Curry said the special levy must be approved every five years and funds the purchase of textbooks, instruction supplies, educational technology, school building repair and student transportation. It also provides salary supplements and enhanced benefits for school employees, he said.

“The special school levy funding comprises approximately 12 percent of our school’s annual general current expense budget,” Curry said. “This is not a school bond proposal. School bonds provide funding for new school construction and major facility renovations and cannot be used for day-to-day operations.”

In 2005, county voters overwhelmingly defeated a bid by the school board to build a new $12.5 million Lewisburg school.

— Christian

Giggenbach