A committee of Ames residents officially kicked off its campaign to support the Oct. 8 special election for a 1 percent local-option sales tax increase on Monday.

During a press conference at Ames Middle School, the formation and goals of the campaign were announced.

If passed, revenue from the sales-tax increase will be used to pay the entire cost of a new Ames Middle School, replacing the current one. Committee members say it is overcrowded and obsolete by today’s educational standards.

Karen Piconi, campaign committee chairwoman, said the group – which is made up of AMS teachers – administrators, parents and other local residents, is not interested in meeting any political demands. She said it is entirely focused on a community building effort through education.

“The sales tax issue had appeared twice before in Ames, but both times it was shot down,” Piconi said.

“The main obstacles the sales tax has faced have been from people who deny the middle school funds because there are other areas that also need funding.

“It’s wrong to prevent something from happening, simply because other people have needs,” she said. “We must have a much more inclusive vision.”

Teachers and students were present at the conference, and they said while additions to the middle school during the years have been monetarily effective, they have not been educationally effective.

Beverly Horn, Ames Middle School teacher, said the deteriorating facilities can no longer sustain the ever-growing student body. The building, which was built to house 550 students, now has an enrollment of more than 750, she said.

“We have a class that meets in the back half of the auditorium. That is not a classroom and is not a good environment in which to learn,” Horn said.

Both students and teachers are experiencing health problems because of the poor maintenance and upkeep of the school, Horn said. Headaches and allergy problems occur in teachers and students on a daily basis, she said.

Ames lawyer and committee member, John Timmons, said the city should be embarrassed because other communities in Story County have been able to pass local-option sales tax initiatives to help their schools, while Ames has continually refused the cause.

“We have to get this passed for the kids coming up through the Ames school system. We have to get better facilities than we have now,” he said. “If this option fails, the only way we can raise the money for a new middle school will be through a bond issue. Of course, that means higher property taxes.”

Several components of the local-option sales tax were outlined by the committee:

The tax does not increase property taxes, meaning student rent will not go up.

The tax does not apply to food, fuel and shelter.

The vote is only for the proposed middle school.

The tax period is 10 years.

“We’ve got to do something in our community,” Horn said. “As a community, we are proud of education, and we support education, yet we simply have no funding to operate at the level in which we should.”

“The Legislature has choked us, and it’s time our community responds to our needs,” she said.