With the recent election still on many people’s minds, we thought it would be a good time to talk about something positive, namely, how one of our taxes that passed during the last gubernatorial election in 2014 has gone to good use. While we so often lament the use of our taxes, it is great to hear that the half-cent surtax we approved has been used, as promised, to increase school safety and make needed improvements in our Brevard County schools.
This surtax was approved for a six-year period and was estimated that it would generate 198 million dollars. The tax revenues from the surtax are surpassing expectations which only means good news for our schools. We are proud to live and own a business in an area with residents who understand the importance of our children and keeping them safe. Nobody likes higher taxes but, in the long run, this has truly been a small price to pay for the increased security at our Brevard public schools.
The other exciting thing about this initiative is that EVERY school in the district benefitted, not just the older schools and not just the new schools in newer neighborhoods, but ALL schools. Other updates, besides security, have been made to different schools, as needed. We are proud to report that additional fencing and video cameras are part of the increased security. Additionally, Brevard schools have some of the highest security in our state! That is something to be proud of, indeed!
With the tragedy hitting so close to home last year at Parkland High School, we are seeing a major effort by local schools to keep our children safe. You may have noticed that you can’t just stroll onto campus. You need a badge or visitor pass from the front office. Also, volunteers are required to get fingerprinted before they can receive approval to volunteer on campus or chaperone field trips. Schools are now having only one point of entry during the day which requires you to go into the office, receive your visitor pass, then be “beeped” into the gate which can only be unlocked by office personnel. This one point of entry was achieved through additional fencing which was purchased thanks to the surtax.
At Tripod Aluminum we are very pleased to hear of these positive changes to help ensure the safety of our local children. We can add to your peace of mind by installing fencing for your home! Our beautiful, high-quality aluminum fencing can help add to the security of your home, just like the fencing we are now seeing at our local schools. If you live in the Brevard county region, such as Melbourne, Palm Bay, and the surrounding areas, we would love to install your fencing. You can stop by our showroom to see what we have to offer and to ask any questions that you may have. We also offer free estimates, so please stop by or give us a call today. We want to help keep you and your family safe and add to the beauty of your home.
