RISON - Early voting for the Cleveland County School District’s request for a 6-mill tax increase begins today (Wednesday, Nov. 12) and will continue on weekdays through Monday, Nov. 17. The election itself will be held Tuesday, Nov. 18.Early voting will be available from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 12; Thursday, Nov. 13; Friday, Nov. 14; and Monday, Nov. 17. There will be no Saturday voting. All early voting will be conducted at the Hall-Morgan Veterans Building, 404 Sycamore Street in Rison across from the courthouse.Polls will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 18, at the following locations: New Edinburg Community Center, 6340 Hwy. 8 in New Edinburg; Kingsland Missionary Baptist Church, 200 1st Street in Kingsland; and the Hall-Morgan Veterans Building, 404 Sycamore Street in Rison.The Cleveland County School District is seeking a 6-mill tax increase that will generate about $12 million to fund construction of a new gym at the Rison School campus. The gym, expected to seat between 1,200 and 1,300 people,will be equipped with fittings for volleyball nets if the district ever decided to start a volleyball program. In addition to athletics, Superintendent Davy King said the gym will also be used for special events like school assemblies, school concerts, graduation and community events. He said carpet tiles will be put down to protect the gym floor to provide the additional seating.The Cleveland County School District currently collects 38.1 mills off property taxes from residents and businesses within the district. Of that total millage, 28 mills is dedicated to maintenance and operations while 10.1 mills services the district’s debt. If voters approve the additional 6 mills, the overall millage would be 44.1 mills with 28 mills dedicated to maintenance and operations, and 16.1 mills for debt service.A 6-mill tax increase will cost a property owner in the Clevel...
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