By Jessie Burchette
Salisbury Post
Dozens of supporters of Rowan-Salisbury Schools called on commissioners to hike taxes to pay off current school bonds and free up millions of dollars for maintenance.
Two commissioners, Jim Sides and Tina Hall, rejected arguments to raise taxes to boost school funding. Hall went on to question the leadership of the system and Sides bristled at the suggestion commissioners have robbed the school system of maintenance money.
The budget hearing Monday evening drew an overflow crowd. County Manager Bill Cowan said it was the largest turnout he’s seen for a budget meeting.
Little changed from last week. On a 3-2 vote, commissioners agreed to a tax rate of 59.5-cent per $100, a net increase of two cents. Chairman Arnold Chamberlain, Vice Chairman Chad Mitchell and Commissioner Jon Barber supported the 59.5 rate with Commissioners Hall and Sides voting against. They favor a revenue-netural rate of 57.6 cents per $100.
While the figures didn’t change, commissioners were, for the most part, far more civil through most of the four hour meeting. Their behavior improved markedly after Phylis Sides, mother of Commissioner Sides, urged them to stop acting like kids and get along. “It’s not about what you want. Get together and do what is best for the citizens.”
Commissioners agreed to give the schools $500,000 more for technology. They also agreed to add about $400,000 in additional funding for other projects ranging from $10,000 more for Rowan Museum to $154,000 to upgrade 800 radios.
The final vote on the budget and the series of required ordinances will come at the board’s meeting next Monday evening.
During the hearing, school officials, teachers, school board members, Chamber of Commerce members and officials repeatedly cited the importance of education and the need for more money.
Most thanked commissioners for adding $2.6 million in the 2008 budget to put the system at state average per-pupil funding. For the coming fiscal year that’s $1,477 per student compared to $1,365 per student this year.
While thanking commissioners, some chastised and challenged commissioners to keep the pledge of the 2002 school bond vote by raising taxes the full 6.7 cents.
“The tax increases haven’t been put in place,” said Elaine Hewitt of Cleveland, calling on the board to do what voters approved.
Several other speakers said commissioners raised taxes only 2.5 cents to pay on the bonds although the public had agreed to the 6.7 cent hike.
Former board members Kyle Huffman and Eldridge Williams weighed in also calling for more money for schools to help with maintenance.
Williams and others called for joint meetings of the school board and the board of commissioners to adopt agreements and plan how to deal with capital needs ó both new schools, additions and maintenance.
Gene Miller, assistant superintendent for the Rowan- Salisbury Schools said the system has $24 million in maintenance needs now.
He pointed out that the county is using almost $5 million of the sales tax monies and lottery proceeds to pay bond debt, leaving the schools with $3.6 million to deal with $24 million in maintenance needs.
Miller said the school system is going to get so far behind on maintenance it will require massive amounts of money to catch up.
At least one speaker accused commissioners of robbing the school funds to pay bond debts instead of raising taxes.
Diane Young of Salisbury said she supported the 2002 bond and expected to pay the 6.7 cent tax increase to pay off the bond. Instead she said the county is “robbing the school system budget” to pay the bonds.
Bryce Beard, chairman of the Rowan-Salisbury Board of Education, spoke in support of the additional $2.6 million, but made clear he thought the system needed the full $5.6 million requested to make a real impact.
“Do we want to be average?” asked Beard. “We need full funding for new initiatives. $5.7 million is not too much.”
Some speakers called on commissioners to go far beyond state average per-pupil funding.
Liz Tennant, a Salisbury resident, noted the start of graduations on Monday and contrasted the graduation challenges to the commissioners’ support of per-pupil average funding.
“I seriously doubt that any speaker said ‘Go out and do you minimal best,'” said Tennat drawing extended applause. “We need a higher standard.”
Several speakers focused on Knox Middle School, citing the safety concerns of having 57 entrances to nine buildings on campus. One warned ofa potential Columbine scenario, while others pleaded to get a new school moved higher up the priority list.
Commissioners heard from 31 speakers most pushing for more money for the schools.
Three speakers had other ideas.
“We’re being taxed to death,” said Ralph Lambe.
Troy Elliott of China Grove and Jack Fisher of Salisbury, called on commissioners to look out for senior citizens who can’t afford to pay higher tax bills.
Elliott said the schools need better management, not more money.
Newton Cohen Sr., longtime commissioner and former chiarman, joked that he’s 80 and still working.
“With God’s help, you’ll do the right thing.”
Commissioner Sides said he has to weigh needs against what the county can afford.
He said residents were overtaxed so the school system could build a $9 million fund balance. And he noted the county had to come up with $15 million extra to carry out the 2002 bond program.
Commissioner Hall, a former principal in the Rowan-Salisbury School System, recalled what her first superintendent always said about budgets ó “Ability to pay comes first, not needs.”
Hall said pouring money into schools doesn’t make them better. She urged school officials to reach out to the community and involve more people, specifically citing a faith-based initiatives to provide mentoring and tutors.
Hall also questioned the leadership of the school system by opening Koontz Elemetary with too many students while other schools have unused classrooms.
“Where’s the courage to redistrict to help the children,” asked Hall, saying throwing money at the schools isn’t the solution.