The referendum is wholly unnecessary because any 2 or more small districts can already consolidate, and as importantly they can already join together for purchasing power and combining of some services.

If citizens and residents in individual school districts want cost-savings, they need to elect school board directors with plans for how to accomplish cost-savings.

If voters want school board directors to stop nepotism, elect school board directors who promise not to engage in nepotism and fulfill their promises.

In a larger countywide consolidated school district there are no guarantees costs would go down because of the consolidation.

None.

In fact the reverse is more believable because Day 1 one Superintendent for 7 sub-districts will simply not be able to handle on-site administrative duties.  It's more likely a fairly large staff will be needed for 1 Superintendent and sub-district Administrators will need highly paid staff as well.

Think the 7-member school board will decrease the salary of the Superintendent of the Unified School District every year.  We;ve got a unicorn for sale ready and kicking.  It's not out of the realm of possibility one Super will be paid upwards of a quarter of a million dollars with a wonderful benefits and retirement package.

Same with Administrators for each of the sub-districts.  Salaries will go up because it is rare indeed the salaries of public school administrators go down and down and down.

As for issues regarding costs pertaining the the largest segment of any school district, teachers, and teachers' salaries, benefits, health care packages and the like, does anybody really think, really, all will forego increases in the consolidated school district for the good of some cost savings?

The people can already have a say in their local independent public school district by hiring and firing school board directors every so many years.

It's been demonstrated all across Fayette County.

Most often what happens is the people want the officials they elect to do exactly what they are doing - except when they don't - then they mount efforts to put in replacement school board directors.

Meanwhile, there will be no room for private schools to gain a foothold in Fayette County and unlikely anywhere else should the electors choose the countywide school district option.

It will be one uniform curriculum, one countywide large district, one way of thinking and don't be surprised if a new $50 million STEM Educational Center becomes a reality for the purpose of changing the way "we do education."