School board asks for property tax increase on The Murfreesboro Post

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School board asks for property tax increase

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Posted: Thursday, April 16, 2009 10:34 am

Assuming the Rutherford County Commission approves the building of two new middle schools, Rutherford County Schools will need a 5.5-cent increase in the property tax to fully fund its budget next year.

The school board presented its preliminary budget for fiscal year 2009-10 at a meeting Wednesday night.

“This is an unusual budget year and a very difficult budget year,” School Board Chairman Mark Byrnes said.

“We realize what a burden this is on families,” RCS Director Harry Gill Jr. said. He then reminded the board, Rutherford County is one of the lowest funded school systems in the state.

“This is basically a status quo budget. … This is a lean year,” Gill said.

The school board has projected a $7.7 million increase in its preliminary budget, based on 2 percent to 2.5 percent growth. But because of cuts made to the budget, the school system only needs an additional $2.3 million from the county.

Last year, the board asked for a 7.1-cent property tax increase, but ended up getting 7 cents from a total 12-cent increase.

RCS will need a raise from the county again this year to pay for the projected growth.

“We think we’re going to need closer to 5.5 cents and maybe a little less if we get lucky with the sales taxes,” Gill said.

Most of the money is needed to open Brown’s Chapel Elementary School in August with some additional funds needed to start staffing the two proposed Buchanan and Oakland middle schools and contract-mandated teacher pay raises.

The school board needs 69 new jobs, 55 teachers, three principals and 11 support staff for the running of Brown’s Chapel Elementary and the proposed middle schools.

A majority of the teachers needed will be used at Brown’s Chapel Elementary when it opens. The three principals will start in March of 2010 at the proposed middle schools, if they are approved.

If the middle schools are shot down again Thursday night, the system would only see $150,000 in savings.

The budget also includes a contract-mandated step increase for teachers that will cost the system $1.8 million.

“As far as step raises, … again that is written in the contract we don’t have any flexibility with those,” Gill said.

RCS Finance Director Jeff Sandvig said a major problem with the budget this year is a drop in state funding through the Basic Education Program (BEP).

The state has reduced its education funding projections by about $500,000 for next year. Tennessee will give $197,321,221 to Rutherford County Schools this year, with the county expected to provide the remaining $46.3 million.

According to state calculations, the county should be able to afford more than $62.3 million, Sandvig said.

Gill said the school board is only asking for what it needs in the next fiscal year. The board has cut all it can and student-pupil ratios will increase over the next year because of the cuts.

“If we’re met with opposition on what we’re asking for I don’t know how we’re going to make it,” Gill said.

Michelle Willard can be contacted at 615-869-0816 or mwillard@murfreesboropost.com.

Tagged under RCS, RuCo

Member Opinions:

By: barrettbear on 4/16/09
Everyone in favor of new schools say "I". Everyone in favor of a tax increase say "I".
We have been had again.