Tax Increase?
- Thread starter Bob Wells
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I was refering to the one you live in in Walton County.
And the others just like it.You know a 100,000.00 home in Holmes County to the owner is just like your million dollar home. And when you charge them tax on their mone and they only make about 15000.00 a year to them it is the same as you paying tax on your home.
Read this morning that there may be a reduction of $140 per student from the State. Just in case anyone is mistaken, that $140 will more than likely have to be made up locally. Because of mandates that we as the voting public has endorsed, ie class size amendment, I think our local school board will have no choice but increase taxes to offset the shortfall, IMO. There was also mentioned in the article that 550 people who provide services to our mentally handicapped population may be cut. Wonder where those services are going to come from. There was talk in raising the tax on cigarettes. Also saw the folks who are on food stamps increased by 43% in the State of Florida. I think I read this on WJHG website, but am not sure. Although I realize the taxpayer is hurting so are those losing their jobs, homes, needed services. At sometime I think the "TAX CUTS" that are happening, don't seem to be spurring the economy to the recovery we all hope that it would.
To try to reply to the original post.....
The Legislature was in special session this past week and will continue to remain in special session the next week to again balance the State budget. As you know, tax collections (especially sales tax) have been far lower than was estimated when the budget was put together in March/April 2007. When there is a revenue shortfall, the legislature must come back and adjust the budget to reflect the correct revenue numbers.
This is the first special session, but, the Governor's office has, during the budget year, withheld funds to keep the budget balanced. Walton County school district has taken a hit from the first "hold back" and we anticipate a second hit from the special session, although we do not know the numbers yet. The speculation has been, to put it kindly, rampant. We have heard number from an 8 million dollar cut for Walton County to $19,000.00.
Obviously, as a School Board member, I hope it is closer to the latter figure than the former figure.
Our school district is in better shape than most to absorb the cut. The voters allowed us to transfer a half mil to operations (where these cuts from the legislature) from our capital millage. This allowed us to build a significant fund balance. We have absorbed the first budget "hold back" without having to lay off any employees. That first hold back was somewhere in the one million dollar range. We made some cuts, cost savings and absorbed that with little blood on the floor. In fact, we have given small 1.5% raises to our teachers and non-instructional personnel. That fund balance was also ravaged by higher medical insurance costs and other increases not anticipated at the time the budget was made. After the raises and other costs, my memory is that the fund balance is in the neighborhood of $5.0 million.
When we get the other cut, we will make the necessary budget amendments. Again, hopefully we can do so without laying anyone off, but, if the number is at the higher end of that spectrum, lay offs would be necessary. Heck if the number is closer two to four million, lay offs would be necessary.
We are having a workshop on Thursday, January 20, 2009 at 5:00 p.m. in DFS to review the final revenue numbers from the State and our proposals to cut the budget to reflect those numbers. When I have the number, I will post it.
As for increasing taxes, I agree that the required local effort (mandated by the State) will go up significanly next year. I hope we can offset that number with our discretionaru millage, but, I am not optimistic. Thanks, guys....
Mr. Davis:
Will local taxpayers be allowed to offer ideas for budget savings?
Will local taxpayers be allowed to offer ideas for budget savings?
I am sure Mark can answer better but have you ever done the break down on increased individualized education of 25 vs 18 students in the classroom? I think it adds less than six minutes of possible individual instruction time to each student, if a teacher is doing individual instruction. Why not take the billions that are being spent and try to education people to just spend 10 minutes a day with their kids reading?
I was refering to the one you live in in Walton County.
I don't live in a million dollar condo. I've never lived in a million dollar condo. I don't like condos. Robert you know better anyway.
Robert
Its the law, as passed by those who voted for it, whether I agree or disagree is neither here nor there. If its the law those that we elect are accountable to carry it out.
Could you send me a list of when you are going to argue its the law vs. when you are going to argue it is for the good of the employee? I guess if students could join unions I would have a better idea of where you stood, Bob.