AM850.com

The proposal to increase property taxes to benefit Alachua County Public Schools passed yesterday in the 2008 elections. The increase, best known as "one mill", will bring nearly 13-million a year for the next four years to pay for critical items that have significantly decreased because of budget cuts. Programs like art and music in elementary schools and school nurses, media specialists, and magnet programs in middle and high school will greatly benefit from this increase. Superintendent of Schools in Alachua County Dan Boyd says the funding will benefit all of Alachua County Public Schools.Boyd says the increase won't be too much for tax payers. Senior Clerical Assistant at Littlewood Elementary School Nettie Maguire says the increase is critical to the education system and says she does not mind paying a little extra each month. Third grade teacher at Glen Springs Elementary school Mary Jacobs says keeping music and art in school is very important to enriching student's lives. With an increase in taxes it would be expected that there may be some opposition, but Boyd says because of Alachua County School's good name, voters responded positively to the one mill increase. The one mill increase will help Alachua County Schools maintain their A grade.