BOE holds hearings on tax increase
By Deborah Bennett Millen News Editor

Doug Eza, state-funding specialist, presents a program on the state's Basic Quality Education funding formula during a public hearing held Nov. 1. The hearing was held to allow public input on the proposed tax increase by the Jenkins County Board of Education. (Staff photo by Deborah Bennett)

The first of three public hearings on the property tax increase proposed by the Jenkins County Board of Education (BOE) was held 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 1, with a large crowd in attendance at the BOE central office.

The BOE previously adopted an $11.7 million tentative budget for fiscal year 2007-2008, maintaining the previous year's 10.5 millage rate. However, due to increased property values, the BOE expects to receive approximately $787,826 more in local taxes over the previous year. This represents a net tax increase of 49.52 percent.

At the onset of the public hearing, BOE chairman Carroll Gay commented, " We hope you have come with open minds and will listen to our situation."

Doug Eza, state-funding specialist, gave a detailed presentation on the state's Quality Basic Education (QBE) funding formula explaining that when a county's tax digest increases, state funding to the local school system decreases and the "Local Fair Share" increases. He told those present that the anticipated $787,826 increase in local taxes to the school system would be "wiped out" in two years.

Mr. Eza noted that since 2002, the local school system had also lost $1,485,553 in austerity cuts by the state, and he called attention to the fact that state funding has not kept pace with inflation costs in many budgetary areas. The Jenkins County school system was ranked 161 out of 180 school systems in the state in terms of poverty levels, he said with only 10 other counties in the state having lower school millage rates.

During public participation, Jenkins County Tax Assessor Don Rich inquired as to a date the school budget must be submitted to the state. He was told that Sept. 30 was the deadline. In the event a budget was not completed, the BOE must adopt a spending resolution to allow it to continue to operate, which the BOE did.

Rich then inquired as to why a $1.8 million budget was first submitted to his office Oct. 5, picked back up and then a $2.3 million budget resubmitted Oct. 17. The $1.8 million budget would have necessitated a millage rate of only 8.360 mils, he said.

The BOE responded that the first budget was only preliminary.

Also commenting was Jenkins County resident Franklin Rabitsch.

"So many numbers have been thrown at us today. I don't really know where we stand," he began, concluding with, "You can raise property values, but the bottom line is that how much you spend determines how much taxes I pay."

Charles Elmore, a former schoolteacher and BOE member, commented that he had worked in the field of education most of his life and supported the education of local students, but said that he could not support the tax increase. He questioned if all the programs being offered by the local school system were necessary, noting that when grants ran out, local taxpayers were often asked to continue funding of the programs.

"The taxpayers have had just about all they can take," he said.

The second public hearing was held 7 p.m. Nov. 1, and the final one will be held 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 8, at the BOE office with a called meeting scheduled for 12:30 p.m. to officially set the milelage rate.