The Clarke County School District Board of Education Administrative Offices at 595 Prince Ave. is shown. At the Feb. 13 meeting, the BOE members decided to pass their resolution to opt out of House Bill 581 partially because of the effect the bill would have on public schools’ budgets. “We’ve been able to discuss this and get input over the last month or so, and (because) our number one rule as a school board (is) to do what is best for our students and their ability to succeed and learn, I think it was very clear that we need to opt-out from this exemption,” District five CCSD BOE Representative Tim Denson said at the meeting. Photo fair use of the CCSD
The CCSD Board of Education discussed its resolution to opt out of House Bill 581 at their Feb. 13 meeting.
The Clarke County School District Board of Education members decided to pass their resolution to opt out of House Bill 581 with a 5-2 vote at their monthly meeting on Feb. 13 at the BOE Administrative Offices at 595 Prince Ave.
HB 581 would lower property taxes by providing a statewide homestead exemption proportional to the assessed value of a residence, an optional sales tax and property tax reform. Local governments had one opportunity to opt out of the bill by holding three public hearings before passing a resolution. The resolution would then be delivered to the Georgia Secretary of State by March 1 at the latest.
62% of Georgians voted in favor of passing HB 581 on Election Day, results that have caused tension among board members as to whether they should follow the decision of the voters or proceed with opting out.
“We are not spending a lot of money the way we should, so I think we should respect the majority of the voters and opt in on House Bill 581,” District two CCSD BOE Representative Mary Bagby said.
A PDF of the Clarke County School District Board of Education’s resolution to opt out of House Bill 581 is shown. 62% of Georgians voted to pass HB 581, but the BOE members passed the resolution with a 5-2 vote at the Feb. 13 meeting. “This has been a really big struggle for me, House Bill 581, because I do believe in the democratic process. I also think that (HB 581) was almost divisive, giving constituents the ability to vote, but the language says that (the BOE has) this one time opportunity to opt out of it,” District one CCSD BOE Representative Heidi Hensley said at the meeting. “Having said that, the people that are going to be hurt by this are really our most vulnerable students.” PDF courtesy of the CCSD
However, the resolution to opt out was passed in part because of how the bill will restrict the funding public schools in Georgia can receive from property taxes. District six CCSD BOE Representative and Board President Dr. Mumbi Anderson pointed out the risk of losing those funds at the meeting.
“As a school board, we have a responsibility to say, ‘We want to keep our kids in our building, in school (and) in class,’ so that’s 10% (of the school budget),” Anderson said. “‘We want to keep our personnel there so that they’re teaching our kids and supporting our buildings.’ That’s the 90%. What is there to cut?”
District nine CCSD BOE Representative and Board Vice President Mark Evans voted against the resolution, partially because of the effects property taxes had on one of his constituents.
“This person had been born, raised, gotten married, raised her family and was raising her grandkids in this house, and they told her that they were going to put a lien on her house and they were going to take it,” Evans said at the meeting. “While my soul and my heart wants to opt out, my head tells me that by opting in, I’m going to help that person stay in their home.”
“As a school board, we have a responsibility to say, ‘We want to keep our kids in our building, in school (and) in class,’ so that’s 10% (of the school budget). ‘We want to keep our personnel there so that they’re teaching our kids and supporting our buildings.’ That’s the 90%. What is there to cut?”
— Mumbi Anderson,
District six CCSD BOE Representative and Board President
District seven CCSD BOE Representative Dr. LaKeisha Gantt expressed caution about passing HB 581 because of how it would affect CCSD’s budget, but believes that the BOE should be more aware of how they’re handling the budget going forward.
“This would put us in a pretty tight position if we did opt in. I think we still have the option and the responsibility to look very closely at the money (and) finances that we are stewards over, Gantt said at the meeting. “There’s always an opportunity to comb through our budget and be intentional. I just don’t think it should be at the expense of putting ourselves in an even tighter situation.”
