Dalton school board invites public input on property tax increase

Published 6:09 pm Wednesday, August 25, 2010

For the first time since 2004, the Dalton Board of Education is proposing an increase in the millage rate — to 8.134 mills from the current 7.845 mills. According to school district officials, the tax commissioner’s office estimates this millage rate would yield a $30 increase in the annual school taxes for the average-priced home in the city of Dalton.

Board members will listen to input from the public on this matter in three separate hearings.  The hearings are scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 2, at noon and 6 p.m., and on Monday, Sept. 13, at 6:30 p.m. Immediately following the conclusion of the last hearing, the board will begin their regularly scheduled monthly meeting and final action on the millage rate is expected to be taken. The meetings will be at City Hall.

“We have lost millions of dollars in funding since the state began annual ‘austerity’ cuts in 2003,” said Steve Williams, board chairman. “Our state funding, which accounts for about 50 percent of our general fund revenues, has been reduced by $17 million through these austerity reductions. So many of the budget reductions we have made to offset this loss of state funding were invisible to our community until this year. When you have to slash $5 million from the budget in a single year, it impacts so many people and programs that it is noticeable.”

To reduce the current fiscal year’s budget by $5 million, Dalton Public Schools implemented personnel reductions of 57.5 positions and a second round of across-the-board pay cuts for all employees, reduced the number of student days by five, and made reductions in several programs and services including the gifted program and transportation services.

“When I made the motion to increase the millage rate I used the word ‘reluctantly,’” said Rick Fromm, board member. “Our discussion centered around the most recent cuts. While very necessary, these cuts made us (board members) question whether we were willing to further compromise educational quality. With more reductions in state funding expected this year, and another round of both state and local reductions on the horizon for fiscal year 2012, the cuts are going to become more brutal. The reality is the dollars to be raised by this small, incremental approach are not going to allow us to restore any of the cuts we’ve already made. I hope, however, it will help us avoid making more cuts that go even deeper into the classroom and buy us all some time to allow the economy to recover.”

The proposed rate increase will raise approximately $1 million in new funding for the district. During the board’s special session earlier this week, board members expressed support for a smaller millage increase this year, preferring this incremental approach to a potentially much larger tax increase in a single year.

“The number of students we are serving is continuing to grow,” said Mark Orr, board member. “We don’t have the option of shutting down product lines or shuttering plants. The demand for our services is growing and I believe it is our responsibility to make sure that Dalton Public Schools continues to provide all students with a safe environment and an excellent education.”

Anyone desiring to share their views on the proposed millage increase at the public hearings may do so by simply attending and addressing the board. No advance registration is required.