Change 4 Kids supporters make big push for renewed sales tax
School officials and their supporters gathered Wednesday with Washington Shores Elementary School as a backdrop to talk about why Orange County still needs a half-penny sales tax for school construction.
Dick Batchelor, chairman of the Change 4 Kids effort, was flanked by school board members, community leaders and Superintendent Barbara Jenkins.
(Jenkins confirmed that she was using leave time to attend the event -- school employees can't support campaign functions on school time. Also, the event was held on the property of Washington Shores Presbyterian Church, which just happens to be right next door to Washington Shores Elementary).
Batchelor said that TV ads will begin today, and that electronic billboards are already live. The campaign will be sending out at least four different targeted mailers urging voters to "keep giving a little."
The effort will also include some robocalls, but no direct "get out the vote" efforts of the type political parties might do. Dana Loncar, a strategist for the campaign, said they hope that some of their efforts encourages parents and community members to come out to vote during the Aug. 26 primary or in early voting.
"Every child thorughout this community, including in District 5, deserves to have a beautiful building like you see behind us," Jenkins said, referring to Washington Shores. She was addressing the concerns of some sales tax opponents, particularly Richmond Heights activist Marcus Robinson, who says the school district can't be trusted because they aren't renovating Richmond Heights Elementary.
The district instead chose to merge three neighborhood elementaries -- Richmond Heights, Eccleston and Washington Shores -- into two schools, rebuilding both. The Richmond Heights facility will be used this year as a PreK center.
Jenkins said that those concerns overlook the fates of elementary schools like Mollie Ray, Rock Lake, Ivey Lane and Pine Hills, which would get full rebuilds if the half-penny is renewed.
The county also has six schools at over 200 percent capacity and two dozen at over 150 percent capacity, said School Board Chair Bill Sublette. The tax would also alleviate overcrowding through new building projects, he said.
And School Board member Kat Gordon, who represents District 5, Orlando's urban core, said that the new Washington Shores, one of seven rebuilds and six renovations opening this fall, is helping revitalize the neighborhood.
"This is just not a miracle. It's a double miracle," she said.