School board reviews Enota safety plan

GAINESVILLE - Gainesville School Board Chairman David Syfan said Monday night that the board would wait until May to decide if a raised crosswalk should be installed at Enota Elementary School as an additional safety measure.

School bus driver Janet Smith applauded the board for approving a trial plan at the school that separates cars and buses.

"There's still some parents with cars that don't understand what we're trying to do because they're always in a hurry," Smith said.

Smith said the goal is safety for the children by keeping the car traffic out of the bus delivery area.

Before 7:30 a.m. parents drop off students in back of the school so buses can safely deliver children at the front entrance.

LOST SCHOOL REVENUE

School board members heard revenue losses could be even bigger this year because of the proposed car tax exemption and other exemptions already in place.

More exemptions, less money to run the school system: That was the message from Finance Director Janet Allison.

If the state Senate approves cutting the car tag tax, and the voters approve it, Allison said it would cost Gainesville Schools plenty.

"The motor vehicle potential loss of revenue for us represents about $1.2 million," she said.

Add to that the senior exemption and the free port exemption and it amounts to nearly $5 million in decreased revenue.

Allison said state austerity cuts could reach $800,000 this year, and there is also the expected adverse effect of the current economic downturn on school tax revenues.