Superintendent Dr. Emma Louie is urging the citizens of Greene County to vote for the three mill school tax in the November 6, 2012 election.

This bill has been passed by  the Legislature and  signed by the governor. The next step is up to the voting public. The voting pubic will be the ones to decide whether or not the referendum passes.

The  Act specifies that that “the Greene County Commission may levy, in adition to any other tax, an ad valorem tax in  the amount of three mills for each dollar of taxable property in that county. The revenue from the additional tax shall  be  paid to the county general  fund for educational purposes.”

SB564, sponsored by Senator Bobby Singleton, passed  the Senate  on May 3, went  to the House  of Representatives and was passed on May 9, and subsequently signed by Gov. Bentley.

“I attended the graduation last night (Monday night) at Greene  County High School,” said Louie.  “It was a wonderful graduation, but it took over 30 minutes  to get out of the parking lot.

“We  desperately need to replace these old schools to enable us to give our youth a modern, up-to-date school system.

“If we get the three mill tax passed, we hope to use it to get a five million dollar bond to build the gymnasium, the auditorium and the football field at the new school.

“I am encouraging all the citizens to come out and vote yes for  the three mill tax. If we can improve our schools, we can improve the level of our entire school system.

“This is for our youth. We are asking you, the voting public of Greene County, to help us help all our youth,” said Louie.

According to Louie, the present high school was built over 40 years ago when the old school burned. It lacks so many of the  things that are needed in today’s electronic world and does not provide space for any meaningful renovation.

“We desperately need this 3 mill to pass,” she said.  “The longer we wait to do something about our schools, the more they deteriorate.”

 Flexible School Calendar Act  of 2012 passes Legislature

 The Flexible School Calendar Act of 2012 will meet the minimum of 180 school  days required by the state and will be  in effect for  the 2012-2013 school year and the first three months of the  2013-2014 school year.

“The first day for student instruction can be no earlier than the Monday two weeks prior to Labor Day,” said Louie. “The last day for student  instruction must be no later than the Friday immediately preceding National Memorial Day, May 24, 2013.

“The students will still get the 180 days of instruction  for the year by cutting some holidays such as Statewide Parents Day, two days off the Thanksgiving vacation, one  day off  the Christmas vacation and two weather days,” said Louie.

“This bill has been passed by the Legislature and will go into effect the school  year of 2012-2013,” she emphasized.