A special-called meeting of the Cherokee County Commission will take place this Thursday with the only item on the agenda being Discussion of the 1% Educational Sales Tax.  In July 2011, the Cherokee County Board of Education – voted unanimously to approve an agreement between the Board and the County Commission – to levy a one-cent sales tax to benefit the school system.

That action came in the wake of the Board of Education announcing that the Cherokee County Career & Tech Center would be closed as part of a “Reduction in Force” plan. 

Approval of that tax included the conditions that the Career & Tech Center would remain open – teaching the same programs offered during the previous school year (with the exception of Art) / restoring ten teacher positions and holding a board meeting at each county school over the course of the year.

The tax went into effect October 1st of that year.  In 2012, voters extended the tax for a period of two years by an overwhelming majority, as almost 70% of those going to the polls voted “YES”.

Whether or not that will be the case in 2014 remains to be seen.

That tax is generating approximately $1.5 million per year for the Board of Education.

Thursday’s meeting will begin at 9:00am in the County Administration Building in Centre.

All Cherokee County Commission Meetings are open to the public.