posted August 22, 2005
) Photo by Photo Editor Michael Locke County Commissioner Lou Miller tells audience members who applauded Monday's tax increase to urge a reorganization of the school system, including the top management. Commissioner William Cotton, at left, voted in favor of the tax increase. Click to enlarge. |
Commissioner Richard Casavant, Republican from Signal Mountain who moved for the tax hike, said 10 cents would go to county government and 16 cents to the county schools.
Voting in favor were Commissioners Casavant, Charlotte Vandergriff, William Cotton, Larry Henry and Greg Beck.
Opposed were Curtis Adams, Bill Hullander, Lou Miller and Chairman Fred Skillern.
The school funding includes $3,336,250 million in across the board raises and $3 million for capital improvement.
The measure includes $1,896,000 toward debt service for new schools.
They will include a new high school on Signal Mountain and new high school on Ooltewah-Ringgold Road.
There will be replacement schools at Hixson Middle School, Soddy Elementary School and Orchard Knob Elementary School.
Additions will be at Hunter Middle School and Wallace Smith Elementary School.
Supt. Jesse Register said the county schools will move on the new schools and additions "ASAP."
The new county tax rate is $2.894 per $100 of assessed valuation.
Officials said the tax hike will add about $5.42 per month to a mortgage payment.
The tax increase provides an average 3 percent pay increase to county employees. Pay varies based on evaluations and on comparison to pay for government employees in other areas.
Other new school funding will go for:
$456,905 to reinstate department chair supplements, and extended time for librarians and guidance counselors.
$456,000 to reinstate coaching supplements.
$262,845 for textbooks and pre-Kindergarten.
The county raises will cost $2,234,000. There will be $1,032,000 for pensions, bringing county employees equal to state employees.
Other county funds go for:
$200,000 for boilers for the Justice Building.
$300,000 for critical healthcare programs.
$301,000 for security and equipment.
Commissioner Henry, who last year voted against a tax increase in another 5-4 vote, said the county schools "have real needs that are not being met." He said school funding should be based "not on personalities, but on justified needs."
He said he had been "attacked personally and politically, but I will continue to serve the people openly and honestly."
Commissioner Henry said he had concerns about school management, "but I will not use that to refuse to help the teachers and the students." He said, "It's time that we begin working together."
Commissioner Beck said he "cannot turn my back" on police officers, healthcare employees and others.
Commissioner Cotton said it "wasn't an easy decision" and involved "strong prayer." He said the commission needed "to get serious about helping our students and about new business."
Commissioner Hullander said he could not support a tax increase at a time when the country is at war, a reappraisal of property just occurred, and gas prices are rising rapidly.
Commissioner Adams said the county schools had already gotten $74 million in new funds since 1998. He said he had concerns about the county's 115,000 property owners.
He said he had "no ill will whatsoever" toward those who voted for the tax hike.
Commissioner Miller said those who applauded the tax increase "need to get on a new train." She said they need to help work for a broader county tax base, tax relief for the elderly, the county getting a higher share of state funds and for a reorganization at the county schools, including top management.
Chairman Skillern said he could not support the tax increase because he felt the county schools "are not being run in a manner that I would want to invest in."
County School officials said the beginning teacher pay goes from $27,774 to $31,270. Teachers got a 3.5 percent pay increase, plus some received step increases.
The central office will receive an additional $150,000 in pay increases and principals and assistant principals get $250,000. Classified employees get $300,000 for pay increases.
Dr. Register said a new experience factor was added to the pay of administrators. He said it amounts to between 1-above 2 percent. He said there has been an attempt since 1968 to get the experience factor added.
The vacation schedule for 12-month county school employees is:
0-9 years 12 days
10-14 17 days
15-19 18 days
2-+ 24 days
There is no limit on the number of vacation days that an employee can accumulate. Upon retirement, employees are fully reimbursed for unused vacation days.
On school maintenance, Dr. Register said $1 million will be spent on upgrades at high school restrooms.
School officials said a $1 surcharge on tickets at athletic events will be dropped since some of the tax increase funds covered coaching supplements.
) Photo by Michael Locke A mostly pro-tax audience gave applause after the property tax increase was passed. Click to enlarge. |
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