Dear Gwinnett County Parent and Voter:

As a PTA president, part of my responsibility is to keep parents informed about issues that affect education. As voters we must be aware of one important initiative on the Feb. 5th ballot: a referendum to allow the Gwinnett County Board of Education to raise up to $750 million in General Obligation (GO) Bonds.  These General Obligation bonds will allow the school system to obtain needed funds right away to build new classrooms, upgrade technology and buy land for future schools.  Because of the economy, SPLOST funds are lower than projected, yet our growth continues, with about 4,000 new students enrolling just this year. 

These bonds can be issued without a tax increase.  If the education bond referendum is passed, the current millage rate of 1.3 mils that is used to pay for bonds will remain at that level. 

What would the passing of a General Obligation Bonds referendum mean?

New classrooms, fewer trailers, upgrades in technology system wide, with no new taxes!

• The bonds will allow us to build 8 new schools and additions at 10 schools, adding 520 classrooms.  We can purchase land for future schools.
• We can continue to improve technology all the way down to the Elementary level, with no tax increase.
• The bonds will allow us to provide for our student population growth (more than 155,000) by about 4,000 this school year alone with no tax increase.

What would it mean if the General Obligation Bond Referendum does not pass?

Growth in Gwinnett County Schools would come to a screeching halt in 2009.

• No bonds, no construction, no technology upgrades.  No new classrooms could be built in 2010 and 2011. 
• We'd have to wait for a SPLOST extension in 2012 -- a serious gap in getting our children out of trailers and into new classrooms and providing schools with essential technology upgrades.    

If you are a parent of a Dacula Cluster student, you have seen the benefits of supporting growth in our schools.  The building of Mulberry ES has eliminated trailers at Dacula ES and the addition of the Archer and Mountain View clusters will continue to assist with the over-crowding in all of our schools.  Current and future generations of Gwinnett County Public Schools' students deserve the same opportunities and our continued support.  We can do this by voting "YES" for the General Obligation Bonds on Feb. 5, 2008. 

Gwinnett County schools are among the best in the Southeast---thanks, in large part, to our voters' commitment to education funding. Your support in 1997, in 2001 and again in 2006 for the one-cent education sales tax (SPLOST) resulted in new schools, technology and over 3,000 permanent classrooms for our children. On February 5, you will have an opportunity to maintain the momentum of permanent classroom construction as well as funding for technology. I encourage you to support the Gwinnett Kids Count! Campaign and the continued investment in Gwinnett County's children by voting "Yes" on February 5 for the Education Bond Referendum.  If you would like more information on the Gwinnett County GO Bonds Referendum, go to www.GwinnettKidsCount.org.

Gwinnett's kids count -- and they deserve our very best.  

Sincerely yours,

Rhonda Rice

Mulberry ES PTA Charter President

Voters overwhelmingly support education in Gwinnett County because GWINNETT KIDS COUNT!