BOE proposes enormous tax increase
By Deborah Bennett Millen News Editor

Combating a "budget crunch", The Jenkins County Board of Education (BOE) is proposing a 57.82 percent increase in the school system's roll back millage rate for fiscal year 2007-2008. The BOE adopted an $11.7 million tentative budget during its Monday, Oct. 15, meeting with no increase in the previous year's 10.5 mill millage rate

However, due to changes in property values brought about by a state required re-evaluation, the BOE predicts it will collect approximately $787,826 more in local taxes than the previous year. This represents a "net" increase in school taxes of 49.52 percent over the previous year. Local taxes collected by the BOE in 2006 amounted to $1,590,770. The predicted 2007-2008 collections are $2,378,596. Currently, one mil generates approximately $225,097 in revenue.

BOE chairman Carroll Gay attributed the school system's need for the increase in local funds to the state's Quality Basic Education (QBE) funding formula, state budget cuts and unfunded or partially funded state mandates.

Jenkins County School Superintendent Joan Blackwood agreed.

"Jenkins County has lost $1,134,737 in austerity (budget) cuts from the state just since 2005. Such cuts have no educational basis; they undermine decisions made in previous years that were based on analyses of educational need and were once reflected in state appropriations. The appropriations level has resulted in critical under-funding of current education costs, a lost opportunity to fund priority areas and a significant shift in the financial burden to the local ad valorem taxpayer. The problem continues to be exacerbated by the imposition of unfunded or under-funded mandates created by legislation or regulation," she said.

She continued, "Since 2005, the funding received from state and local funds based on the QBE formula has decreased $828,371. In addition, federal funds have decreased $215,674 during this same time period. When you add all of these together, since 2005 Jenkins County has received a reduction in funds of $2,178,782. This is at a time when all other costs have increased. One example is the increased cost of fuel used in student transportation."

While the proposed combined millage rate for the county and school, 21.30 mils, will be less than last year's 26.5 mils, due to the county's roll back of its rate, taxpayers should not assume they will pay less taxes, said Jenkins County Tax Assessor Don Rich because, "a $100,000 piece of property last year could be valued at more than $100,000 this year."

Landowners will be the hardest hit, Rich noted, while some residential property owners could pay less in taxes. A landowner with approximately 200 acres paid $1221.91 in property taxes in 2006. In 2007, the same landowner can expect to pay $2,169.47 in taxes, an increase of $947.56. The taxes on property valued at $300,000 in 2006 were $1,548. The same piece of property will be taxed $2,080 in 2007 due to its increased value.

"Had the BOE rolled back their millage rate to 6.653 mils, most tax bills would have stayed approximately the same," said Rich.

However, Superintendent Blackwood said that a roll back of the school's millage rate would result in even less state funding for the school system.

The last time the BOE proposed a major property tax increase was in 2002. At that time, property owners saw a "net" increase in their taxes of 44.8 percent. The last property re-evaluation was done in 2004, and at that time the BOE rolled back its millage rate.

Because the BOE is proposing an increase in local taxes, it must hold three public hearings on the matter. These have been set for 11:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 1, and 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 8. Doug Ezell, state-funding specialist, will be the guest speaker at the hearings. A called meeting has been set for 12:30 p.m. Nov. 8 to officially set the millage rate for fiscal year 2007-2008.