Lowndes School Bond Issue Passes

LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) —  Lowndes county voters have spoken.  A $44 million bond issue was given the green light Tuesday.

The bond issue received overwhelming support in New Hope and Caledonia.  78 percent voted in favor of it in New Hope, and 57 percent of voters in Caledonia approved the bond issue. These votes helped offset lukewarm support in the West Lowndes area.

Overall, unofficial results show 2,839 — 62.26 percent — voted in favor of the bond issue and 1,721 — 37.74 percent — voted against.

Sixty percent was needed for the bond issue to be approved.

Among other things, the money will build a new vo-tech center, a new New Hope High School, and upgrades at West Lowndes and Caledonia.

Lowndes County Superintendent, Lynn Wright says the bond issue will help improve the old buildings and classrooms that need repairs.

“Nearly 40 percent of our students are in buildings built in the 1950s,” Wright explained. “Our students will be in buildings that are more environmentally friendly and more conducive to a safe education for our students. ”

A similar bond issue, reduced slightly from $47 million, got majority support last August but failed to reach the 60 percent threshold.

County school leaders took out a couple of small projects and funded them through cash reserves, and restructured the financing to avoid a tax increase to improve their pitch to voters.