Just in time for the coming recession, your school board wants more of your money. The state legislature has already sent more money to your local school district than ever before. In exchange for providing increased state funding, your local school district is supposed to give you a substantial property tax rate decrease. In an attempt at financial and political judo, many local school districts want to partially restore the old property tax rates, hence the term “rollback,” while keeping increased state funding.

The state has already raised taxes on many businesses, as well as cigarettes and other items, to finance increased school funding. That funding was designed to offset lower property taxes. You, the property owner, were supposed to get a break from higher property taxes, but you may go broke instead of getting a break. I am not even factoring in the higher appraisals that in Ellis County have mysteriously accompanied a nationwide housing recession.

If you rent, you may think the new property taxes will not apply to you. Wrong. Chances are your landlord will be passing on to you the increased taxes he will pay on the property in which you live. Think about it.

Your wallet is the target.

Interestingly enough, new state laws would have allowed the various school boards to put these tax referendums on the general election ballot in November. Instead, they chose to spend additional taxpayer money to have a separate election this Saturday for their proposed tax increase. Perhaps they hope that taxpayers will not be paying attention and only their buddies will vote. There is no question that if these issues were on the November ballot, more folks would vote on them whether they pass or not.

Some say that the Saturday election date was chosen because that date fit the budgetary calendars of the I.S.D’s. Why don’t we fit our tax increase attempts into the economic cycle instead? Taking money from taxpayers in their time of greatest need in an economic slowdown is, to me, a near criminal act.

Please remember, a vote for the rollback is a vote to increase your property taxes in a recession. To add insult to injury, according to my source, at least one county school board, Italy I.S.D, has hired an outside consultant in order to quarterback their attempted tax increase. How many other school districts have done the same?

Is there a tax increase for which I would vote? Yes, if I could clearly see a need. If the need were defined and if the budget were clear and clean. In this election, many districts are claiming a need for capital improvements, but they are also including overly large employee raises at a time when the rest of us are having to pinch our family budgets. Some of our county independent school districts are starting to remind me of our county government, complete with taxpayer-funded special consultants and higher taxes.

Note to local school districts: If you really need money for air conditioners and a new roof, please try to finance that separately and don’t try to hide that big pay raise in the budget. That would be more reasonable — some might say honest. I am sure your hired-gun consultant gave you different advice.

Paul David Perry, Mediator
South Ellis County