LOUISA, Ky. — Lawrence County Clerk Chris Jobe announced today that he completed his inspection of the petitions turned in by groups of local citizens demanding a vote of the nickel/dime tax imposed by the LC Board of Education two months ago, and found there is enough signers to demand a vote on the tax.
Tonight, the BOE voted unanimously on motion by Garnett Skaggs and second by Madellene Roberts to hold the vote on the regular General election day November 7, 2023. Supt. Dr. Rob Fletcher said it would cost more than $30,000 for a special election.
Fletcher advised the board to accept Jobe’s conclusion and set the issue to the voters.
Fletcher told the board that much of the talk he is hearing is “confusion” over what the petitions are for.
“There were 1,416 signers and Clerk Jobe eliminated almost 400 because of errors or signing out of precinct,” Fletcher said. “But there were still 1,047 qualified names on the petitions that were good.”
One of the petition leaders, Kay Swafford told The Lazer recently that the opposite is true.
“We were asked to walk the line on this, but we had no problem getting twice what we were told we needed (705), and there were many more who wanted to sign but we had already turned them (petitions) in,” Swafford said. “There were people asking to sign but we just couldn’t get to them all.”
Fletcher says not knowing the facts is the problem.
“I have spoken to several people who signed the petition but they really didn’t know what they were signing,” Fletcher told the BOE tonight. “One man told me he was told he had to sign the petition so we could get the new school.”
Supt. Fletcher said the length of time left between now and November will give the board time to “better educate” Lawrence Countians in what the new tax will pay for and why there has to be a vote on the tax.
The new tax money is to be used for a twenty year, $40 million construction project that includes a $27 million K-2 school to replace Louisa West Elementary, and merging all 7th and 8th graders to Louisa Middle School. Improvements would also be made to Blaine and Fallsburg lunchroom facilities.
Soon after the tax vote by the five person LC BOE, petition committees were formed as the law allows for any tax raise over 4% in Kentucky.
Below are the names and addresses of the petition committee that have filed and won the challenge.
- Sherry C Burchett 24 Old Rt 23Ulysses, KY 41264
- Cheryl Gowan 71 Shandy LnLouisa, KY 41230
- Leona Swafford 238 Hwy 1760Louisa, KY 41230
- Daniel Ward
74 Greenapple Rd Louisa, KY 41230 - Rick Cyrus
97 Treasure Chest Dr Louisa, KY 41230
I wasn’t confused about signing the petition Mr. Fletcher.
The voters have decided once already they don’t want their taxes raised but now you want to double that and hope they wouldn’t pay attention what’s going on.
You are wrong we noticed.
Nailed it!
What’s the reason behind posting the addresses of the committee members?
The members had to do the petitions by precinct and district where they are registered, –Editor
Mr. Fletcher, accept the agony of defeat.
Mr. Fletcher and the board better tread carefully. KRS 132.017 (3) (e) Local, state, and federal tax dollars shall not be used to advocate, in partial terms, for or against any public question that appears on the ballot in this subsection. For purposes of this section, “local” means and includes any city, county, urban-county government, consolidated local government, unified local government, charter county, or special district.
So…the school board requested a copy of the petition signatures and folks are now being contacted and asked “why” they signed the petition. Are you implying that could be a violation of the statute? I need to know what to tell people who are concerned about being contacted. Thanks for any info you can provide.
I wondered about having our addresses published too. No, we were allowed to collect signatures in all districts. We didn’t even have to be registered to vote. All we were required to do was ask the ones signing the petitions if they were registered and have them sign in their district. There was a lot of confusion due to the fact they had to vote in a different place last time. I would like to see the board members salary posted. If it’s more than the dietary workers it’s too much. Most dietary only make $13,000 a year. Their’s was posted. They asked for a raise and were refused. But it’s ok to get in a book deal with Dolly Parton that will eventually cost $16,000 a year. Time for a lot of changes.
It sounds to me that if this vote don’t pass we will NOT be getting the new school and parents be prepared to send your kids to a place where tue mold reaps. Know first hand
Betty the mold should already been fixed that’s the question you should be asking
The school hasn’t been updated in over 40years!!! That’s the whole problem! Where has all the hard earned tax dollars gone to? That’s the main concern! You have a budget in your own household and have to maintain all your property. You don’t let it get “mold” in it as you say or let the roof leak and just hope someone else will fix it with their money do you? No you don’t. Everyone is tired of all the deception in every political office no matter the party! All voters ask for is transparency! Watch some of the previous board meetings. It’s unreal and his band of misfits are behind him all the way no matter the cost because it protects their position! It will not pass and should not pass! They should question every previous board member for why the building is so dilapidated and where they misused such funds.
KAG how many children do you have? The problem in LC is that not enough people care about kids. My suggestion is that someone should hire these folks that carried the petition and see how much education they have.
Concerned again the question is how much money can you afford to give away it doesn’t matter how many kids you have if you own property in Lawrence county you pay school taxes not counting just about every other bill you get has a school tax on it.
Back in the 90’s they built a new middle school without a new tax. It’s all about budgeting and planning ahead.
I think one of you geniuses should run for U.S. president next time. You’ve got all the small town problems figured out already. On to bigger and better things!
Just remember the board members when they run for reelection,the only way to stop Fletcher.
Anyone interested in running for the unexpired BOE term of Heath Preston which includes half of Louisa, and several outlying precincts, or TWO Louisa city council SEATS FOR unexpired terms have until JUNE 6, 2023 TO REGISTER TO RUN…
Why do they keep calling it a dime or double nickel tax? It’s actually 12.5%.
It’s not 12.5% that is just more misinformation. It is 12.5 cents per hundred on top of what they already get. It is over a 20% increase to the rate they had last year.
Vodou math confuses the Hooplheads
I wish the school board would have taken the time to “educate” the folks they’re supposed to be representing long before now. The committee put forth the extensive effort and NOW they’ve decided to educate everyone. I honestly do not think there’s any confusion regarding the petition. I was very honest and upfront when explaining what it was about. And that signatures were rejected because folks signed on the wrong precinct sheet is pitiful. Furthermore, during the last tax increase effort, people were not required to sign a petition from a specific precinct. Why was it necessary this time around?
My hope was to at least get it on the ballot so that the voters would have the opportunity to decide. Mission accomplished!! Now people need to get out and vote.
I’d like board member contact info posted so we know how to get in touch when we have questions.
Cheryl you can count on my vote let’s just hope Fletcher and his rubber stamp board doesn’t cry fraud if they loose like MAGA World does.
As I have said before, the people of Lawrence County who oppose this tax clearly do not care about children at all! If I had kids at home, I would definitely be moving them away from this place. Judging by the comments left on these stories, they also don’t care about education, since they don’t have any of their own.
Again Joey it’s not about caring about the kids it’s what you can afford and as far as education the test scores are not getting any better. And it doesn’t matter if you have a dozen kids or none it’s property owners money and they can’t afford the higher tax rates.
You are WRONG. Lawrence County does care about their kids. They don’t want a new tax shoved down their throats. These fools cannot manage their money, plain and simple.
Maintenance,,is your problem with all of lawrence co, schools.its the whole buddy system with the board of education,,you can’t get a sink fixed at any of these schools,and if you check on who,s doing the Maintenance,,there all related to people in the system,so they don’t have to fix any problems,and that’s why the west is in the shape it’s in, ,fire the Maintenance people and get qualified people to actually fix it instead of going to giovannis for 2 hour lunches.
I’ll tell you what needs to be burning people’s asses aside from the tax. They want this man on an advisory board for five states. Look at our schools….. That is who you want representing this region? I would love to know who the Yahoo is who recommended him for that job! Somebody obviously in Frankfurt who doesn’t know any better. I wish everybody would take 5 minutes and call the state so they understand what a poor decision it is allowing him to do that. It’s quite obvious any kind of position of power goes straight to his head.
I agree we should have new maintenance people. My kids have brought home all kinds of crazy shit from the school. They talk about the bugs in there, roaches, and even seeing bed bugs! And you know it’s bad if they see them during the day. They talked about the mold and how it never gets taken care of and it’s their day after day after day and our kids have to breathe in the spores.
It is not our fault he cannot budget. And it’s not our fault that he bullies those people on the board. But what he’s trying to do is make this tax our problem and then say ‘Oh you guys just don’t understand…. You need to be educated’ I have a college degree sir, I understand.
I like how they saved the taxpayers 30000 by waiting til nov 7 th. Very thoughtful of them
Yes fire them all,,,,anyone who works for the schools will tell you about maintenance,,or lack there of. ,I think every Osborne in the county is working for them,,, thanks John,,you managed to to get the schools in such bad shape they need condemned,,,,not your fault dr.fletcher,,,your just worried about robbing the county…
If Lawrence County wants to help kids, bring in lots of good paying jobs so that they don’t have to leave when they graduate. We need real jobs, not low paying restaurant and store jobs.
Do you really think it’s that simple? Just bring in more jobs?