The Hall County Board of Education’s recent actions to allocate education SPLOST funds for central office renovations and security doors are a direct punch in the gut to Hall County taxpayers.

The case was made for greater security at the system headquarters on Green Street, where no student classrooms exist, for a price ranging anywhere from $40,000 to $80,000. I don’t suppose that there is a concrete plan for the renovation at this point, with such a large window of funding for the project being secured.

I wonder if members of the school board treat their personal wallets the same way they do ours. When purchasing their most recent vehicle, do you think your school board member told his car salesman his price range had a twofold spread?

How many textbooks, reams of paper or laptops could be purchased for our classrooms for $40,000-$80,000? I was under the impression that our E-SPLOST dollars were to directly impact the growth and development of the children of Hall County.

Mark Pettitt
Hall County SPLOST Oversight Committee Member, Chestnut Mountain