The Newton County School System has named two long-time education volunteers as the chairs for the upcoming education SPLOST IV referendum, scheduled for March 19.

Bea Jackson, director of the Washington Street Community Center, and Danny Stone, manager of Economic Development for Snapping Shoals, are the co-chairs.

“Bea and Danny will direct citizen efforts to provide the public with information on the SPLOST and advocate for a positive vote on March 19,” said Superintendent Gary Mathews.

In late-2012, Newton County Board of Education approved a call for the SPLOST referendum, which would allow the current SPLOST to continue undisturbed for another five-year period, between 2015-2019.

Although the current SPLOST will not expire until 2015, according to NCSS business manager Peggy Bullard, there is a reason for doing it early.

“If the SPLOST does not pass the first time, the board has to wait at least 18 months before they can ask for another vote,” she said. “The board wants to have the SPLOST passed before the Dec. 31, 2014 expiration of the current SPLOST so that the tax will continue without interruption.”

The one percent tax for education can be used to purchase buses, new security technology, building rehab, new construction as needed, replacement of outdated computers, etc., according to Mathews. It would be the fourth round of education SPLOST for the county, which started in May 2007.