Hinton school voters switch from local to state tax

The special election was needed after the 2008 Legislature decided to replace the one penny School Infrastructure Local Option (SILO) tax with a 1 cent statewide sales tax.

Of the 192 voters that came out Tuesday, 184 were in favor of the change with seven voting against the measure. Those numbers included two absentee votes.

"The results of the turn out were really good and we're happy about that," said Al Steen, Hinton Community School superintendent.

The districts revenue purpose statement explains how the district plans to spend the 1 cent sales tax money that is received from what used to be the SILO tax.

Tuesday's voters replaced that tax with the State Secure and Advanced Vision for Education (SAVE) tax.

The SAVE tax will give the Hinton School District access to $2.25 million compared to $1.6 million the district would have provided through the SILO tax should the district need to borrow against that income.

"It will allow us to borrow more for the future expansion project of a pre-kindergarten through third grade elementary school," Steen said.

SAVE money can be used for items like building construction, remodeling and repair, acquisition of proper for future building sites, purchase of equipment like computer and buses and property tax relief.

With the positive outcome of Tuesday's vote, SAVE will go into effect immediately through 2009 in the Hinton School District.

"Most people understood they won't see any change in how the sales tax is collected," Steen said.