CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Voters in Kanawha County heading to the polls Tuesday for the General Election will have a decision to make on a key school excess levy.
Voters will choose to be for or against the five-year excess levy which would provide the school district with about $61.7 million annually starting in the 2024-2025 school year.
Tom Williams, the Superintendent of Kanawha County Schools told 580-WCHS on Monday that the levy would not increase taxes. The levy has been in effect since 1937.
“It’s a quarter of our budget. It’s been in effect since 1937. For 85 years our parents, grandparents and maybe some of our great-grandparents have voted for this levy to support our school system,” Williams said.
“We’re good stewards of our tax dollars. This has many things in it that will benefit our students, teachers and school staff.”
Williams added that those things to benefit the school system is related to maintenance, facility upgrades and some staff positions including funding school employee salaries, substitute salaries, and employee benefits.
He said the levy would continue funding in new HVAC and footing improvements while allowing the school system to hire seven counselors, five nurses and maintenance staff members.
580-WCHS noted in a story Friday that approval of the levy would mean a new weapons detection system would be installed in all nine of the county’s high schools.
“We need to do everything possible and make sure we have all of the measures possible in place so that our students and staff are safe,” Williams said.
The levy has received support from the Charleston City Council and Kanawha County Board of Education.
Kanawha County voters approved the current levy in November 2018; the current levy will expire in June 2024.