By Courtney Coble

Staff Writer

Voters in the Gore Public School district will decide a $4.34 million bond election April 7 for a new multi-activity center.

According to the Sequoyah County Election Board, the polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at all regular polling places which are:

—Precinct 201, Blackgum Fire Station number three.

—Precinct 203, Vian Police Department, council chambers.

—Precinct 209, Church of Latter Day Saints.

—Precinct 210, West Tenkiller Fire Station

—Precinct 211, Carlile Fire Station

—Precinct 212, Gore Senior Citizen Building

School officials are asking for the bond to be issued in a series to provide money for construction, equipping, repairing and remodeling school buildings, acquiring school furniture, fixtures and equipment and acquiring and improving school sites.

If the bond is passed, the impact to taxpayers would be $36.60 more per year for every $100 a taxpayer pays in ad valorem taxes, which is a monthly increase of $3.05, Gore School Superintendent Keith Kincade said.

“For every $100 a taxpayer pays in property taxes, you will see an increase of $36.60,” Kincade said. Kincade said he is aware that it is expensive but he said in order for Gore Schools to grow the schools need the facility.

“These people can not afford to pay any more taxes!” Art Carter, Gore citizen who opposes the bond proposal, said during a telephone interview on Monday.

Carter has been going door to door to try to inform as many people as he can who live in the Gore School District about how much it will raise the taxes. He said he had 200 cards made Friday and has already passed them out and is expecting to get 200 more and have them all passed out by next week.

“Several of us are doing a lot of calling and knocking. This is a retirement community, and a lot of retirees live in the Gore School District. They can’t afford to buy their medicine already. One man told me there is no way he can pay any more taxes. They may as well fold up their tents if this passes,” Carter said.

“Kincade is running everything with an iron hand, it’s his way or the highway,” Carter said.

Kincade said the project would be financed through a series bond issue, which allows the school to issue the debt over time. With a series bond, the debt is broken up into a series of issues. As one series of bonds is paid off, another series is issued, creating a stabilizing effect for the taxpayer.

“The longer this is put off the more it will cost. Since the last bond issue for a gym, the price tag has more than doubled,” Kincade said.

He said the old gym is very functional for a gym that was constructed many years ago. They use it for all grades for practice and any other need. However, he continued, the bathrooms, locker rooms and lobby are not adequate for hosting large crowds. Kincade said that a new multi-activity center will accommodate larger crowds and the younger students will stop paying the price for the inadequate facilities.

“When the weather is bad outside, our younger students are forced to miss physical education (PE) classes because our older students have to practice. He said with a new facility the younger students would have a place to attend PE throughout the whole school year.

“The new center would be located at the high school and will contain a gymnasium, safe rooms, a band classroom, extra classrooms and a moveable stage,” Kincade said.

Kincade said the cost of the new two-story, 25,000-square-foot lower level and 10,000-square-foot upper level activity center will about $3.2 million, he said the cost of the series of bonds will about $4,340,000.

“Yes it is expensive but this is the only way we can improve our facilities or build new facilities at Gore Public Schools,” Kincade said.

In September 2002 a $1,810,000 bond was struck down. The election had 338 for the proposal and 319 against, and was just shy by 19 votes of passing.

In March of 2005 a $2,570,000 building bond propositions was struck down with 265 for the proposal and 536 against during a special school election. School bond issues must be approved by at least 60 percent plus one vote of those casting ballots.