School administrators are called on to wear many hats in the course of their jobs, but rarely door-to-door salesmen.

While Limestone County Superintendent Barry Carroll won’t literally be going from door to door in the coming months, he’s going to try to sell his message to as many voters as he can before an August election to decide a 1-cent sales tax increase to fund school construction.

“I will go from school to school presenting this plan,” said Carroll.

Carroll began his stump with local media Monday by outlining $50 million in what he calls “urgent” facilities needs. Limestone County schools enrollment is projected to grow from its present 8,540 to 10,017 by 2012, in part because of new residents expected to come with BRAC transfers.

The sales tax would be used to repay a bond issue to build three new elementary schools, replace three nearly 50-year-old gyms, as well as middle and high school additions, cafeterias, paving and land acquisitions. Carroll lauded Gov. Bob Riley’s proposal for a $750 million state bond issue, but he said Limestone’s share would be just $8 million—“not even enough to build one elementary school.”

If voters approve the tax in August, Athens city sales tax would go to 9 percent, while Limestone County residents outside city limits would pay 7 percent. The tax would expire in10 years unless voters re-approve it.

Carroll said he and the board of education have grappled for years to find resources to make upgrades and meet capital needs.

“The board has talked, I’ve been to the BRAC meetings and came back to our board,” said Carroll. “Finally, I said, ‘enough talking, it’s time to take action.’ I expect a lot of negative feedback from the community, but we needed to move in some sort of direction.”

But Carroll says he “wants feedback” and has been seeking input from the community on how to get more facilities revenue, even before requesting a vote on the sales tax.

“I got no feedback on the plan,” said Carroll. “And no one submitted another plan. We would yield to a better plan.”

Some residents are offering feedback in the form of signs on their lawns opposing the measure. Athens Mayor Dan Williams says he opposes the plan because none of the money would go to the city’s general fund.

Based on “average daily membership,” which refers to school attendance, 75 percent of the increased tax revenue would go to county schools and 25 percent to city schools. But the mayor says Athens needs to find more revenue sources to fund services for its rapidly growing population.

If the City Council voted to add a 1-cent tax for city residents—which it could do without voter approval—sales tax in Athens would be 10 percent, if voters also approved the county tax increase.

At least one resident, Quentin Anderson, who says he regularly attends public meetings as “a representative of the taxpayers,” told Carroll such measures will drive shoppers out of county.

“People will start spending their money elsewhere,” said Anderson. “The city will be out the money for its needs. What would be fair would be to have 9 cents in the county and 9 cents in the city. The people just aren’t for it. We’d be shooting ourselves in the foot.”

Carroll predicted that people who shop locally would continue their spending habits.

Williams, who several years ago vetoed a council vote to impose a 1-cent sales tax increase in city limits to help fund Athens schools, said the city has no current plans to impose its own sales tax.

“I have concerns that this would cause people to shop elsewhere, but my biggest concern is for the general fund,” said Williams. “We have no plan to raise taxes but we are in need of new revenues…Who speaks up for the general fund if not the mayor? New sales tax would be a way of increasing revenues, but we don’t want another tax. Nine cents is about the limit. Who would want to go to 10 cents?”

However, Williams predicted that the last sales tax increase “passed easily and I think this (proposed county increase) has an excellent chance of passing.”

Carroll isn’t so sure. He’s asking for divine intervention on the measure.

“I’m soliciting the people of Limestone County to pray about this,” said Carroll. “I’m not trying to cram it down their throats, I just wanted us to step out front and take the lead. Someone has to stand up for the kids. If the people vote for this, they will get what they pay for. I vow that they will get everything on the list. We’ve got to step up to the plate and, yes, we’ll get a few hard balls thrown at our heads.”