Letter: Invest in Henry County schools

Regarding the upcoming special election on Sept. 29, there has been a war cry of “No More Taxes.” This is a shortsighted view.
My opinion is not to look at these funds as taxes, but as an investment in the educational system of Henry County, which, in turn, is an investment in the future of our children.

With the departure of the West Point Home textile mill from Abbeville, the school system is now our largest employer.

We can turn a blind eye concerning the current shortfall in education funds, but this won’t eliminate the problem of providing our children with a good education.

Improving the opportunities for getting a quality education would also be one of the best means for attracting more people to relocate to our county. This would result in a larger base of shoppers for local businesses, create more jobs, more housing, increase the tax base and provide more funds for making Henry County a greater place to live.

A more educated populace also tends to reduce the crime rate of a community.

Approving the proposed 3-mill tax and renewal of the current 1-mill tax would be an increase of $30 per year in property tax on a $100,000 home, or $2.50 a month. How many other investments offer as large a return for such a small amount?

If you are concerned with how these funds are spent, attend the monthly school board and county commission meetings to ensure our elected officials are aware someone is watching.

In closing, you can vote no in a blind reaction to hearing that a new tax is proposed or you can vote yes as an informed citizen knowing the positive outcome is far greater than it appears on the surface.

Milton Partin
Headland