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Superintendent Culver's Comments to Community on Sales Tax Referendum Last night, our community showed their support of and commitment to public schools in Champaign County by passing a one percent sales tax to fund new and remodeled facilities and to provide property tax relief. The passage of the sales tax increase is especially significant given the status of our local, state and national economy. It would not have been possible to pass the Sales Tax Referendum without the hard work and advocacy of community partners that include the Board of Education, CFT, CESP, CLASS (Citizens Looking At Supporting Schools) Committee, the Farm Bureau, the U4 Excellence Committee, the University of Illinois, Parkland College, the City of Champaign, the Village of Savoy, the Central Labor Council of the AFL/CIO, the Building Trades Council, the County Board, the Ministerial Alliance, and the Regional Office of Education. Additionally, the endorsement of the News-Gazette showed great support of our public schools. It is wonderful to live in a community with such broad-based support for the work that we do with students. We will be seeking community involvement as we establish the Promises Made, Promises Kept Committee to ensure that the Referendum dollars are being spent as promised. The first priority will be to eliminate all construction debt to lower property taxes. We will then begin our plan of construction/renovation of elementary schools as presented to the voters. I am humbled to work in a community that places such a high value on the education of its children. The new and improved facilities provided with Referendum funds will provide high quality teaching and learning environments for our staff and students. We deeply appreciate your gifts of time, talent, funds and advocacy that resulted in the passage of the Sales Tax Referendum that will benefit Champaign County students for decades to come. Arthur Arthur
R. Culver, Superintendent
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