| BG Schools to seek tax |
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| Written by DAVID DUPONT Sentinel Staff Writer | |
| Tuesday, 31 July 2012 09:39 | |
The Bowling Green Board of Education at a special meeting Monday voted unanimously to go with the five-year income tax levy rather than a property tax or a combination of a property tax and an income tax. The 0.75-percent tax will generate $4,050,000 annually, according to Treasurer Rhonda Melchi. The additional tax is necessary because the district faces a $12,239 deficit June 30, 2014 without new revenue. If the income tax is passed the district is expected to be in the black through June 30, 2016. That is if the district doesn't experience further cuts in state funding. Board President Eric Myers said "I was originally intrigued by a combination of property and income tax." However the residents he discussed the plan with "were not as positive." And they were "very negative toward a property tax," he said. While these were "informal discussions" they were enough to convince him to support asking for an income tax increase. "At this time asking for any increase is not going to be popular," he said, 'but asking for the increase in income tax would be less unpopular." If approved, the increase would bring the school district tax up to 1.25 percent. In spring voters renewed the district's 0.5-percent income tax. By having the new tax last for five years, it would mean the entire amount would come up for renewal at the same time. The taxes are levied on taxpayers' adjusted gross income, noted board member Paul Walker. "We know the community is strapped," said board member Ellen Scholl. She said school officials were doing "everything we can" to keep costs down, but without the additional revenue, deep cuts would have to be made. Superintendent Ann McVey said that since 2004 district officials have been making a concerted effort to reduce spending. The district has reduced personnel through attrition and closed and sold buildings to reduce overhead and maintenance costs. It hasn't been enough. Those cuts, McVey said, were offset by unexpected reductions in support from the state. Any further reductions could lead to laying off teachers, she said. Melchi said, "there's not much to cut." |
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| Last Updated on Tuesday, 31 July 2012 09:42 |
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Comments
1. REDUCE steps from 28 to 6 (negotiable)
2. REDUCE sick-time from 15 to 7 days/year, with no carry-over.
3. REDUCE holidays from 14 to 10 per year.
4. Do away with RETIRE/REHIRE and give young teachers a chance.
5. implement an insurance based sick policy (short term and long term).
Cindi, either you have an ax to grind with BGHS's Athletic Director or you have NO idea what goes into making a successful Athletic Program for a School System.
BGHS has excellent opportunities for our young people via Athletics and your proposed solution to our financial problems is absurd.
Have kids get out to sell these things and help at the events. The teachers could help also.
Vote no on this levy. Our town is in need of new investments and growth. With continued tax increases every six or seven months, we become far less competitive.
We just passed several taxes on income and property, including the new pool complex. We already heard that will cost more than anticipated.
We need to put accountable leaders into positions to help battle this spend whatever we can get mentality. Time for real planning, and time for tough choices. Don't think we need administrative staff earning $80k and above while we ask teachers to forgo any raises or changes in benefits.
Right on here!
Only the working people will pay this.
All members of a Comunity should pay for Comunity services. Not just those who are working.
I may have to look at my residency options if this passes as I can not afford to give up 3.25% of my income to schools and the City. Plus the High BG property taxes!
Heck my local income tax rate will be higher than what my State income tax rate is. This is messed up!
Got to love the unconstitutiona l school funding in the state of Ohio, DeRolph V Board of Ed.
What has it been 20 years now and still no resolution!
Rocket 1, I agree with MOST of your comment BUT you idea that those of us who are retired do not pay income tax is WRONG. I am retired and if this passes I will also be paying over $1750 in Income Tax + Property Taxes. I am OK with Property Taxes as everyone pays them in some form.
Suzzie, If a landlord incurs a Property Tax increase, they will pass that increase on to their renters in the form of a rent increase.
A LOT of the ideas you have posted on this topic have little merit. (Ex) Your idea of downloading textbooks and having parents pay for the cost sounds good, BUT Very Few High School Textbooks are available for downloading.
Your idea of Bus Usage: Actually almost ALL buses arrive at the school at capacity using the current Busing method. Using your idea would cost the School Board more as they would need to buy more Buses and hire additional Drivers to accomodate a One-Trip method of picking up students.
Your lack of knowledge of how Schools actually work is obvious.
There are 19,000 registered ACTIVE voters in the Bowling Green school district. Of those Republicans and Democrats are about even with 4800 each. 10,000 of the active voters are non partisan and vote on issues only.
Please call and tell a friend that your tax will more than double. Many folks on fixed income should be very concerned.
Note to Mr. Myers: I am not growing a money tree in my back yard. I have not had a raise in nearly 4 years. In that same time, gas prices have more than doubled, food costs have gone way up and my property taxes keep getting jacked up every time I turn around. Its time to go back to the drawing board and find some intrigue in fiscal responsibility.
no tax. Senior citizens pay it the same as everyone else. Please support our schools and VOTE YES!
About HALF of the people pay NO Income Tax so the burden then falls on the rest of us. At least with a Property Tax, Everyone pays something as those who rent etc would have their rent adjusted to make up for the increase in Property Tax.
A family making $100,000 a year would pay $1750 per year in school tax + their Property Tax if this levy were to pass.
That is CRAZY!
I hope people wake up to what they are being asked to vote on.
The Board and Administration aret getting some BAD Advise on this one!
Now our school board, Adm and Treasurer are asking for an Income Tax that ONLY about half of the people pay and that is WRONG. If your family income is $100,000 and this levy were to pass, you would pay $1750 per year in Income Tax and the additional Property Taxes that are currently on the books. That is WAY TO MUCH for those of us who pay Income Tax.
NOT sure what the Board was thinking when they deciede to try this?
They just need to be put on the back burner. U.S. wages are out of control. Starting at the top. CEO's, administrators. owners of companies, sports people etc. Teachers at my opinion are at the rigate and stay there NO MORE rises. I have never seena poor teacher, they all live in NICE houses and drive nice cars, etc.
They should have zero say in class size or curriculum.
Teachers are TRAINED to understand, apply, and innovate with curriculum. Teachers get their jobs often in terms of their understanding of innovation. If you take this out of their hands, you take those teachers out of the applicant pool.
Apparently, you prefer the idea that teachers be unthinking drones; great role models for young people!
However, I am intrigued by the idea of Saturday football. I grew up in New England, where it was the rule. It does save money. The "Friday Night Lights" tradition seems to be a hardened tradition in the midwest and south, but why?
As long as you view teachers in terms like "qualified workers," don't see unique value in what the better ones do, and want to control everything they do during the day in the name of "accountability, " you have no hope of bringing constructive reform to education. You have to incentivize the more talented ones to enter and stay in the profession, so that they set standards that others can live up to.
FREE dental.
FREE vision.
CASH-OUT at retirement...1/4 of accumulated sick time hours PLUS give one year notice and get an additional 10 hours pay. WISH I COULD GET A DEAL LIKE THAT!
oldham: You had the opportunity (and still do) to get a College Education and become a Teacher. Please do not whine about your plot in life as you chose your career. 95+% of Teachers do a Great Job and BG has Excellent Teachers.
The problem here is NOT the Teachers; it is the method of funding Education in Ohio. The legislators have failed to come up with a Constitutional acceptable method of funding Schools and now we are asked to pass a "POOR CHOICE" Method (Income Tax) of funding our School System.
Income Tax is a Tax that only 50% of the citizens will pay and that is NOT acceptable. As I have stated, I would support a 2 mill property tax but NOT an Income Tax.
I believe there is a means test on the state income tax for those on Social Security. Many of the folks at or below the threshold are having a tough time making ends meet right now. Those folks working in minimum way jobs are also not getting by. Are these examples the 50% that don't pay school tax? What is your opinion of the "earned income tax" for BG schools as opposed to what we have now, which is a tax on ALL income.
oldham: Actually that is a Win/Win for the School System and Taxpayers! They are ONLY paying for 1/4 of the accumulated sick days. If they did not have an incentive to NOT use one's sick days, the cost for hiring subs for Teachers who take off when they are ill vs. coming into work would be significantly higher than the "pay out" when they retire.
Other School Systems in the area have a much better "pay out" for unused accumulated sick days than BG. Again benefits and salary for Teachers is NOT the Problem, as I see it. It is the method of funding Schools.
I plan to look at other unionized public employees contracts for over-the-top fringe benefits. In all fairness, I do not want to single out teachers, as they have a tough job dealing with all sorts of students.
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