By Pat Culverhouse

Early voting for the April 27 general election begins Saturday, April 13 and continues through April 20 (excluding Sundays) with a trio of issues affecting Webster Parish schools on the ballot.

Voting hours are 8:30 a.m through 6 p.m. at the parish registrar’s office in the parish courthouse and at Springhill Civic Center, 101 Machen Drive. Deadline for requesting absentee ballots is Tuesday, April 23 at 4:30 p.m., with exceptions granted to military and overseas voters.

Deadline for receiving absentee ballots is Friday, April 26 for voters other than military and those overseas. On Election Day, polls will be open from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m.

One of two proposed renewals on the ballot is a 2.81 mill, 10-year parish-wide special tax that supports acquiring, constructing, improving, maintaining or operating the public school system in the parish. Revenues from the millage is estimated at $743,102 annually, beginning in 2026.

A second 10-year renewal for Springhill School District 8 includes a .60 mills increase due to reappraisal, raising the millage rate to 7.69. Annual income from the millage is anticipated at $328,450.

Money from the millage, which would begin in 2025, would be used for acquiring, constructing, repairing, improving, maintaining and/or operating schools and school related facilities, plus equipment and programs for District 8.

Springhill School District 8 is also asking voters to approve a new bond issue, not to exceed $11 million and to have debt incurred for not more than 20 years from the date of issuance. The general obligation bonds would be payable from ad valorem tax revenue provided by an estimated 12.75 mills increase above the 28.50 mills currently being levied to pay general obligation bonds of District 8.

Bonds would be used to finance capital expenditures including constructing, acquiring and/or improving schools and other school related facilities together with equipment and furnishings.