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Board committed to spending more money for public schools

 BY WESLEY YOUNG
SALISBURY POST

Despite a 22 percent increase in property values as a result of revaluation, county commissioners will be hard put to keep the tax rate below the current rate of 63.75 cents for every $100 of assessed value.

County Manager Tim Russell says the schools need a $4.3 million increase in the coming year, including $3.1 million as part of the plan to bring per-pupil spending up to the state average.

Add to the budget required increases in public assistance, toss in extra courtrooms for an expanding court system, and ‘‘there’s not much left’’ to work with, Board Chairman Newton Cohen said.

A revaluation year usually provides commissioners with political cover to raise taxes without raising the tax rate. Higher property values mean the tax rate can fall without losing revenue.

But with all the hard pruning he could do, Russell could bring the proposed tax rate down to only 63.38 cents. Russell’s first proposed budget actually called for a post-revaluation *itincrease to 65 cents.

‘‘It’s safe to say all five were startled,’’ Russell said, recalling how individual commissioners reacted when Russell gave them their copies of the budget. ‘‘It was very obvious from all board members that they were totally concerned with the tax rate.’’

Commissioners begin working on the budget Wednesday, May 26. A public hearing is scheduled for June 7.

At the current rate of 63.75 cents, the owner of a $75,000 home has paid a tax bill of $478.

If that homeowner’s house went up by the average amount of around 22.44 percent, his property is now valued at $91,830. With a tax rate of 63.38 cents, that homeowner would pay $582.02 – $104.02 more than last year.

No one should be surprised that taxes are going up, Russell said.

‘‘There shouldn’t be a reason why the public doesn’t understand that in order to provide (school spending) at the state average, it is going to take revenue,’’ Russell said.

The school spending includes $3.1 million to meet the statewide average; about $400,000 to increase teacher supplies; and another $780,000 to replace funds spent for the schools in 1998-99 from ‘‘one-time’’ sources.

But schools aren’t the only big-ticket items driving up the budget numbers:

• Public assistance payments are projected to rise by $805,000. More than half of that increase is going to Medicaid and foster care programs. Those programs are spending more because of the state’s emphasis on improving the quality of life for children.

• The county faces at least $1.5 million in Justice Center improvements, including new district courtrooms. The county will finance the project over time, but annual payments will still boost the budget.

Cohen was skeptical that people will remember how strongly they wanted better schools, but said the board will stick by its commitment.

‘‘The same people who said they want our schools up to the state average, when their taxes go up, they are going to complain about the taxes,’’ Cohen said. ‘‘They are going to remember that a whole lot more than they will remember telling us to raise the schools.’’