Vote YES Four Woodruff

A statement from District 4 officials…

Voters have spoken. The unofficial results are in…

955-Yes
830-No

Referendum approved! Thank you for supporting our kids, our schools, our community!

Today is the day! Please go out and exercise your right to vote! 🗳 ✅

Our kids, our schools, our community need your vote tomorrow August 11!

Where do I vote on August 11?

You will vote in your regular polling place which would be one of the following: Woodruff Leisure Center, Woodruff Elementary School, Cavins/Hobbysville, Enoree First Baptist Church, Cross Anchor Fire, RD Anderson, Bellview Baptist

7am-7pm

You may also search for your polling place online…

https://info.scvotes.sc.gov/eng/voterinquiry/VoterInformationRequest.aspx?PageMode=VoterInfo

Voter Information Request All logos and trademarks in this site are property of their respective owner. © 2022 South Carolina State Election Commission. All Rights Reserved.

Thoughts from James McBeth, former school board member…

A message from current school board member Jay Phillips…

City council member Mattie Norman shared thoughts on the school referendum…

A message from former WHS Principal Karen Neal…

A message from Woodruff City Council member Toni Sloan…

Spartanburg Herald-Journal article from Allen Smith…

https://www.goupstate.com/story/opinion/2022/07/29/opinion-fast-growing-woodruff-needs-new-high-school/10172104002/?fbclid=IwAR1jMD3xD5TZuSjcpg5eTzY9azpYkPOfHoAEh4JnCDctHCoijOBExhtxPgM&fs=e&s=cl

Opinion: It's time for Woodruff and Spartanburg District 4 to get a new high school Head of OneSpartanburg urges voters to approve $100 million in bonds for a new Woodruff High School, citing growth in Spartanburg District 4 area.

OneSpartanburg, Inc.

Woodruff and the surrounding areas are proud communities, and its schools should reflect that pride. Vote YES August 11 to ensure Spartanburg School District 4 is able to keep up with growth and offer first-class facilities for its students into the future.
https://www.spartanburg4.org/

This is what current board secretary Sandy Norman had to say about community growth and student safety…

A statement from current school board member Morgan Smith...

Here’s some perspective through the eyes of current D4 teacher Laura Matz…

Here’s a quote from former Spartanburg County Board Member Elijah Ray…

Where do I vote on August 11?

You will vote in your regular polling place which would be one of the following: Woodruff Leisure Center, Woodruff Elementary School, Cavins/Hobbysville, Woodruff Fire, Enoree First Baptist Church, Cross Anchor Fire, RD Anderson, Bellview Baptist

7am-7pm

You may also search for your polling place online…

https://info.scvotes.sc.gov/eng/voterinquiry/VoterInformationRequest.aspx?PageMode=VoterInfo

Voter Information Request All logos and trademarks in this site are property of their respective owner. © 2022 South Carolina State Election Commission. All Rights Reserved.

A message from from former school board chairman Milton Smith…

“This school construction referendum is an opportunity to invest in the future for our students and community. Good school facilities give this community a step ahead in jobs, increased home and property values, growth and pride in being a part of southern Spartanburg county. Please vote "YES" on the referendum this August.”

Milton Smith
Former Board Chairman

Artist renderings of the new Woodruff High School are now available to the public.

According to Visions 4, the new facility will include the following:
Auditorium 600 Seats
Competition Gym 2000 seats
Courtyard
3 Stories
(Third Story unfinished until needed)
16’ Hallways
Security Entrance
Practice areas
Band and Chorus rooms
ROTC Accommodations
3 Art Rooms

***Approximate numbers according to the district office:
240,000 sqft
54 classrooms (first 2 floors)

Tax Reassessment Fact #2:

Will Taxes Increase Due to Reassessment?

• Some property owner's will notice a decrease in taxes, some will stay the same and some will increase. Reassessment was not created to raise taxes. It is intended to distribute the taxes collected more fairly among all property owners.

• Because there has been five years since the last reassessment, of which those values were based on sales from 2018, property values are likely to increase.

• Because of increase in values during reassessment, state law
requires that local government reduce the millage rate to what is called a “rollback millage"

Rollback millage rate calculation:

State law requires municipalities and counties to "roll back" their millage rate after reassessment of property
values to ensure local governments receive the same amount of revenue from property taxes after reassessment as they did before.

A message from former school board member Melvin Brewton…

As a former school board member of 24 years, I would like to take this opportunity to ask the citizens of Spartanburg District Four to vote “YES” for the bond referendum on August 11th.

I am a proud graduate of District Four, and my wife has served as a teacher and principal within the District. We have had two children and a granddaughter to graduate from the best school district in Spartanburg county. It is imperative that the children and staff of this district are provided with the necessary resources needed to continue to be the best. Vote “YES”

Melvin Brewton
Former WHS Student and School Board Member

Listed below is the SC tax reassessment law as well as an example of how the law works in the state of SC…

Reassessment Facts:

1. Required by SC State Law (SC Code of Laws 12-43-217(A)) every 5 years.

2. SC State Law (SC Code of Laws 12-37-3140 (B)) now limits the amount that the taxable value of
your home can increase during reassessment. Now tax values cannot increase by more than
15% unless the property has had additions and/ or improvements or the property has been sold
or transferred.

Example:
A home was assessed in 2018 for $200,000. The tax value since 2018 has been $200,000. The value of the home has increased over the last five years and at the time of reassessment has a fair market value
or $400,000. No improvements or additions have taken place. Based on SC State Law the new reassessed value for property tax purposes cannot exceed $230,000 ($200,000x 15% increase).

Reminder…
The community forum sponsored by The Woodruff Times will be at 6pm this Friday July 22.

A statement from officer Darrell Dawkins on the importance of safety…

A message from Woodruff City Manager Lee Bailey…

Fact #10…

Speaking as an interested private citizen, I should like to take this opportunity to urge enthusiastically all citizens of our school district to consider the school bond referendum on the ballot for 11 August 2022. The passing of this referendum will allow the school district to garner the funds to build a new high school.

This writer believes that all know that a population explosion is in the works for our school district. It is estimated that at least 2500 new students above the number we have now will come into our district within the next few years. In my opinion, the only viable option that will allow us to
educate these students and keep them safe is through a new high school. This will not only give us
space to house high school students but will also free up space in the existing schools to house the
increase in the number of students in the lower grades.

If this referendum fails of passage, the only option left to the District to house this massive influx of students will be to bring in numerous portables at all four district schools. Each citizen should pause and reflect on what portables would mean for the safety of our students and teachers in these classrooms. This writer has taught in a portable and thus knows that they are easily accessible by any
person who is out to harm our students.

Only one door stands between the students and their teacher and someone out to do them harm. And these portable doors are so flimsy that almost anyone can kick
them in. The only way to provide security for our students and teachers in portables is to have an armed police officer in each portable throughout the school day. This, of course, is not practical. Thus it is
imperative that we keep these numerous portables off our campuses by giving school officials the authority to get the funding to build a new high school.

Randy Grant, Ph.D.
Vice-chairman Spartanburg District 4 School Board

Fact #9…

I have had people say to me "We need a new school, but now is NOT the time.” I appreciate and understand their concerns and opinions. I felt the same way until I took a closer look at all the determining factors. The factors that convinced me that NOW is the time are, first, there is no denying that a large number of people are coming to our community. Land is being cleared daily for new home sites. (A quick ride though the district proves that). Second, it will take approximately 4 years to build a new school. In addition to the build time, we must consider the number of students currently in our existing schools. If you ask any teacher, they will tell you that our school classrooms are at max capacity (FULL). This means we currently have no room for growth. NOW is the time to act. If we wait, we will be forced to bring in portable classrooms. Portable classrooms will only be a temporary fix that will waste tax payer dollars. Portables will take up room in our parking lots, school grounds, and maybe even practice fields, and most important, compromise the safety that is currently provided for our kids at D4. In addition, when a decision is made to build a new school in the near future (which is inevitable) the only thing we will have to show for the tax money spent on portables is a bare spot on the the ground. Meanwhile, the cost to build a new school is only going to go up as time passes. If we wait to build a new school, we will be making a huge mistake.

Tony Davis
Chairman, Spartanburg District 4 School Board

Thank you to OneSpartanburg, Inc. for your support of the District 4 referendum!

OneSpartanburg, Inc. and our Executive Board support Spartanburg School District 4 in its efforts to build new, modern, safe facilities to accommodate for the future growth of the Woodruff area. As Woodruff’s population is forecast to more-than double, student growth is on the way. District 4 has proven to be responsible stewards of its resources, and if passed, this referendum would allow for the district’s first new school in 32 years. We urge residents to vote YES 4 the Future on Aug. 11.

https://www.spartanburg4.org/

Fact #8…

Fact #7…

Fact #6…

Vote YES Four Woodruff updated their website address.

Fact #5…

Fact #4…

Fact #3…

Fact #2…

Fact #1…

Save the date! If you have questions about the District 4 referendum, please make plans to attend.

The Woodruff Times will be hosting a town hall meeting in order for the public to ask questions regarding the District Four Bond Referendum for the proposed new high school. Dr. Rallie Liston and other members of Spartanburg County District Four administrative members will be there to answer your questions.
The meeting will be held at Woodruff City Hall in the auditorium July 22 at 6 p.m.
Stay tuned... More information to come.

On August 11th, you will have the opportunity to make a difference for our schools and community by voting “YES” to the bond referendum for Spartanburg School District 4.