While we can all agree how important public education is as an investment for the future, the Caldwell School District’s solution to their budget crisis leans too heavily on the property tax payer. The district administration suggests that they will have to deal with a $1.9 million shortfall and that the employees will take a 4.5% hit but the property taxpayer will get hit with nearly a 300% increase. (The current levy is $900,000 and the proposed levy if approved will be $2,750,000) Most folks would not consider that a fair situation.
As a former leader in the Caldwell School District, I would have found it embarrassing if our school board had asked patrons to support an increase in their supplemental property tax charge of 3 times when those patrons are dealing with the same economic realities as schools. It is reported that the increase will go from $71 per $100,000 of value to $208 per $100,000 of value. When there are many patrons of the district unemployed or having to face salary deduction themselves, it is no time to ask them to pay a huge increase in their school supplemental property tax levy. In addition, the district plans to increase their plant facilities levy by over 16% or $50,000 per year, without any justification. Now is not the time for any increase.
Before the election day in May the school board must demonstrate to the Caldwell School District patrons clearly and publicly what they have done to cut costs before they decided to ask the voters for more money, including but not limited to what non-essential positions they have eliminated. There are some of these positions in every school district. Every non-teaching position should be on the “list “ for possible elimination. Also, the District board of Trustees needs to explain to the patrons why a 16% increase in the plant facilities levy is essential at this time. Finally, and very importantly, what is the long-range plan for this escalated supplemental levy? Is it a temporary 2-year levy until state revenues return or is it planned that this historic increase simply becomes part of the on-going tax charge on the Caldwell School District property taxpayers? The Board owes their constituents a thorough explanation why all of these increases are necessary and their long-range plans for the supplemental levy.
Historically the Caldwell School District has supported their schools by approving a supplemental levy for nearly 50 consecutive years. Now it appears that they are going to put that tremendous record at risk. Some consideration might be given to the comment made recently by the neighboring school superintendent from Vallivue when he stated, ““We don’t want to raise taxes on our taxpayers for the years and years and years that they’ve supported us on these levies.” Good point!
