A school impact fee is needed to accommodate the many incoming residents relocating in Santa Rosa County, some buying here because of our excellent school ratings.
This rating is being marketed, sold and profited by builders and developers. The same developers and builders that fiercely oppose an impact fee that is necessary to maintain our schools have, in fact, overwhelmed the schools' capacities.
The Santa Rosa County School Board knows this. They have asked the Board of County Commission to implement a school impact fee. Our support of the school board is the message our commissioners need to hear. Not because they don’t know the fee is necessary. But because they need to know we know it and are demanding fair support.
The best thing we can all do right now for our schools is email our commissioners. Let them know you expect fair support for what we’ve long worked and paid for. Great schools! It is essential. Let your neighbors know to email the commissioners with the same message. Your email messages are not a campaign investment. No, they are a notice to our elected commissioners to protect our county. The commissioners have a choice to make and so do we!
Elaine Smith, Pace
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: School impact fee is needed