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       School district misses the boat

        on much-needed tax increase

The Washington County Board of Education made a decision Friday evening that could cost local students for decades to come.

 

A tax increase was on the agenda for Friday evening’s special public hearing, and the board had the opportunity to increase its tax rate from 54.8 cents to 57 cents per $100 of assessed property value, but chose to not do so.

 

That increase would have meant that property owners who have $100,000 in property would pay an additional $22 in school taxes per year. That equals roughly $1.83 per month, or 42 cents per week.


 

The economy is tough, and that’s no secret. So is the job market, and that can be felt by students who are graduating from our schools and looking for work in fields that now include potential employees from around the globe, not just down the street or across the county line. To continue providing the education these students need to be prepared for the future, money is going to be needed, and it’s not likely to come from the state or federal government.

 

Board member Nora Hatton said during the hearing that potential cuts from the state and federal levels are expected to continue, and she added that the board members learned just prior to the tax hearing that more federal cuts, likely 7-9 percent, should be expected in the near future.



Knowing that we have more cuts ahead, and that the cost of doing business will increase by more than $225,000 next year, the board still failed to pass what would be a small increase for many individuals, but would have brought in an additional $191,075.80 to the district.

 

Looking at the numbers that were presented to the board and seeing the increased expenses already being faced by the district, along with those that will also come along with the new Washington County High School, taxes are going to have to increase to cover the costs associated with educating our students.

 

As Washington County High School Principal Paul Terrell told the members of the school board and members of the community in attendance at the hearing, this money is not being sought for frivolous things, but for the basic needs of their children.



Before making a motion to accept the increase, Hatton reminded her fellow board members that they are charged with overseeing the fiscal needs of the school district, and that passing the proposed tax increase was a vital part of meeting those needs. Still, the motion failed.

 

The money the school district lost Friday evening for the upcoming school year will be more than $191,000 next year alone that will never be recovered, and more money will continue to be lost as time passes. Over 20 years this one tax increase would provide an additional $3.8 million dollars, and that does not include interest or compounding factors, which would provide even more money down the road.



Washington County has missed the boat on a great deal of much-needed money, and it would have cost us all very little in comparison to the benefits for our kids and our community.

 

Let’s hope we don’t pay an even higher price down the road.