The Columbia Public School District has asked voters to approve a 54 cent per one hundred dollars assessed value property tax increase at the April 8th municipal elections.
From the Columbia Public Schools Tax Levy: Questions & Answers document:
Q. Why does the district need a tax levy increase?
A. The tax levy increase will help the district continue to do what is right for Columbia's children. A tax levy increase is necessary due to a change in state funding, increases in the cost of employing teachers and staff, increased mandatory retirement benefits, increases in fixed costs such as utilities and transportation and an increase in student population over the last five years.
The Columbia Public School district claims they need more money to cover increased costs for salaries, goods and services they consume and, increased student population over the last five years.
Yes, their costs have increased over the last five years due to inflation. According to the Consumer Price Index, inflation has increased the price of goods 15.25% over the last five years. Employee salary increases are needed to compensate them for their increased cost of living.
First, they don't seem to understand that their revenues from the current property tax increases when there is inflation. New home prices have risen a great deal in Columbia the last five years and existing home owners have seen the assessed value of their property rise. When this happens, the amount of money you pay in property taxes increases and, the school district raises more money.
Second, when their student population increases, that shows growth in the school district. Those students and their families have to live somewhere and they patronize local businesses. New homes are built and new businesses open due to this growth. This increases the amount of property to tax, raising more money for the school district.
Allan Rodgers of Citizens Against New Taxes (C.A.N.T) has done a great job analyzing the district financial data for the last five years:
- Enrollment in the Columbia Public Schools has risen less than 1% over the last five years.
- Assessed value of property has increased 43% over the last five years.
- School district revenues from the current property tax has increased 46% over the last five years, three times the rate of inflation.
- The school district has one teacher for every 14.2 students.
A fiscally responsible school district should never have to raise the tax rate to cover increased costs from inflation or growth in student population. Their revenues automatically increase to cover these increased costs.
I don't know where the school district has been wasting our money. The only way to hold them accountable for their mismanagement and be fiscally responsible in the future is to vote NO on the increased tax levy.
Vote NO Tuesday April 8th on the Columbia Public School tax levy increase
