Could a third attempt be coming to DeWitt County to try for a one-cent sales tax for DeWitt County Schools?

Tuesday night at the Clinton Board of Education meeting, Superintendent Curt Nettles offered strictly informational comments to the board regarding this tax. It's been tried twice before in DeWitt County and failed both times. 

Nettles stressed his information was not a presentation for moving forward with an initiative to get a referendum on the ballot, he strictly wanted to offer information. He offered what the tax would apply to for area shoppers.

According to Nettles, the tax can be used for things like facility improvements or tax abatements. He notes it doesn't go to things like salaries.

According to Nettles, the money from this tax follows students. So whichever district in a County has the most students would receive the majority of the funding and it's broken down into percentages. Estimates are around $870,000 per year for Clinton schools from this tax. 

Nettles recognizes this isn't the ideal time to be offering something like this to the public due to things like record gas prices and record inflation. He encouraged if this is something the Board would want to pursue, to commit to an education plan for the public.

The first attempt in DeWitt County was nearly a decade ago and failed and then when Nettles came to the district in 2015. He indicates it is a lot of work to commit to an educational campaign and would ask the Board to be dedicated to doing that as he was leading the effort in his first year.

He also pointed out the referendums failed both times by roughly 300 votes.