July 11, 2007
LIBRARY
FUNDING IN JEOPARDY
Despite big tax increases by School Board
The Jasper County
School Board has informed the Jasper County Library that
once again, they will reduce funding to the Library.
In times past,
the City, County and School Board all shared equally in
funding the library.
Over the last several years, citing the “Service Delivery
Strategy” and double taxation, the City has not participated
in funding the library. The County and School Board have
shared the funding of the Library.
According to
a letter dated 6/26/07 signed by Jay Brinson, for FY 2008
(July 1, 2007 – June 30, 2008), the School Board has cut
its funding to the Library from $60,000 to $45,000. And
to add insult to injury, the funding will decrease by $15,000
per year until the School Board no longer funds the Library
at all.
See copy of Letter Here: http://www.taxdogs.com/2008LibraryBudCut.pdf
The
School Board has increased its budget to over $17 million
for FY2008. As of 5/25/07, per statistics
in the Monticello News, the School System had an enrollment
of 1998 students. Based on these figures, Taxpayers
pay $8500+ per student per year in Jasper County.
See School budget for FY2008 here:
http://www.taxdogs.com/2008SchoolBud.pdf
The School Board
not only received an increase of $558,000+ due to property
value increases, but on top of that, the millage rate for
the School System was raised another mil— bringing in an
additional $444,579. The
tax increase to property owners just for the School Board
will be approximately $1,002,580 on your next property tax
bill.
If you have
comments about the funding of the library, the final budget
hearing for the School budget will be held Thursday,
July 12, at 6:00PM in the Board Room (old Washington
Park School). This is a public hearing, and you will be
able to speak. You can also call 706-468-6350 or write to
Jasper County Schools, 1125A Fred Smith St., Monticello,
GA 31064 with your comments.
Please remember
that the School millage
rate is capped at 20 mils. As their
budget continues to go higher and the State continues to
fund less of it, the School Board will likely consider other
areas to shift taxes to the County Commissioner’s budget.
The library is one area; the new turning lanes for the new
High School on Hwy 11 N was another.
TWG
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Mission
Statement:
** To keep the taxpayers of Jasper County, Georgia informed
as to where and how
their tax dollars are being spent.
** To keep the taxpayers abreast of local policies and
laws being
discussed and enacted.
** We advocate more open government, less government spending,
and lower property taxes.
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