April 08, 2008 11:48 pm
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By Joe Hadsall
jhadsall@joplinglobe.com
WEBB CITY, Mo. — A lighter majority requirement helped the Webb City R-7 Board of Education get a $5 million bond issue approved by voters Tuesday.
According to complete but unofficial returns from Jasper County, 1,316 voters approved of the issue and 859 voted against it — a majority of 60.5 percent.
“We’re very pleased to hear the news,” said board president Kevin Crane. “There was a lot of hard work getting the word out.”
A four-sevenths majority, 57.1 percent, was needed for approval.
Money from the bond will be used to build a new library at Webb City High School. Other bond projects include remodeling classrooms at the high school, building new classrooms and a multipurpose area at the junior high, and replacing windows at Webster Elementary and Franklin Early Childhood Center.
The same issue was defeated in November, although 60.9 percent of voters approved the issue. A two-thirds majority was needed in that election, according to the Missouri Constitution.
Superintendent Ron Lankford said a stronger campaign also played a part in the victory.
“We worked much harder, even though the economic news was an adverse factor for us,” he said. “This was a combined effort from the chamber of commerce, parents, students and people interested in the progress of the district.”
Voters who favored the motion said they believe in investing in the school district.
“We’re known for athletics, but academics is more important,” said Dawn Oney, who voted in favor of the bond issue. “We need to invest in that.”
Voters who voted against the measure did not wish to be quoted.
Duane Hunt said he was going to vote “no” but changed his mind.
“Even though they said ‘no tax increase,’ they were going to extend the levy, and that will cost us,” Hunt said. “But I believe in having good libraries, and that’s where a majority of the money is going.”
The district will pay off the debt over 20 years by adding a two-year extension to its debt-service levy at its current rate of 68 cents per $100 of assessed valuation.
The Webb City School District’s total levy is $3.43. It is composed of 68 cents for debt service and $2.75 for operations.
Construction for many of the projects should begin in late summer, Lankford said.
Tax bill
The owner of a $100,000 home pays $651.70 in annual taxes for the Webb City School District at the current rate.
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