News Editor

The Pike County Commission voted Monday afternoon to adopt four resolutions which will allow them to ask voters to renew the 9.7 mills in property tax and the one-cent sales tax needed to keep area schools operating.

Every school system must collect the equivalent of 10 mills of property tax or it doesn’t get its share of state money.

"The Pike County School System thanks the County Commission for approving this measure," said John R. Key, Pike County Superintendent of Schools, after Monday’s meeting.

The meeting was a continuation of the commission’s regular meeting on Jan. 14, when Key and Troy City Schools Superintendent Hank Jones formally asked the commission to hold a special election for the sole purpose of renewing the ad valorem tax.

Pike County collects 9.7 mills plus the one-cent tax to comply with the state’s requirement.

Troy City Schools collect 10.7 mills plus sales tax. The special election is tentatively scheduled for March 12.

The measure must be renewed by voters for a set number of years as voted on. The ad valorem tax was last approved by voters in 1982. This time educators are asking that the next consideration be in 29 years.

"This is not a new tax," emphasized Key. "It is only a renewal of what we already have.

Plans are being made to send out a newsletter asking voters to renew the tax. If the March 12 date cannot be met, the next opportunity for the special election will be April 9.