Cook County EDC | School board votes 4-1 on tax rate

School board votes 4-1 on tax rate

The Cook County Board of Education voted 4-1 Monday to keep the tax millage rate for Fiscal Year 2017 the same as it was last year, 16.065 mills.

Voting in favor were Chairman Chad Sumner and Board Members Susan Griffin, Jerry Durden, and Frank Carter. Board Member Maysoe Wiley voted in opposition.

The board’s action also included approval of continuing 1 bond mill. Revenue from the bond mill is used to help pay off debt for the new high school. The board voted in 2014 to begin assessing the bond mill. The bond mill was imposed as a result of fewer Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) proceeds being raised than projected to pay off the bond debt. Without the bond mill, the school system would have been in serious jeopardy of not being able to make the payment due for the high school in October 2015. The stagnant economy at the time was causing sales tax revenues to decline.

Board Member Maysoe Wiley said he is against the bond mill because no state equalization funds are provided for that form of property tax as they are for ordinary tax millage.

There are two ways that the bond mill could end. The school board will vote each year to continue the bond mill or end it, based upon whether or not SPLOST collections are good enough to cover the high school bond payments. Or, the bond mill will stop when the high school debt is completely paid off in 2018. The last payment is due in October 2018. “The bond mill will sunset when the bond debt is gone,” Sumner said.

One regular mill generates about $312,000 in tax revenue, while one bond mill generates somewhat less at $200,000 to $300,000.

The 1 bond mill adds about $40 per year to taxes for property valuated at $100,000; $80 per year for property valuated at $200,000; $20 per year for property valuated at $50,000; and $15 per year for property valuated at $40,000.

Chad Sumner noted that some years ago, the school board increased property taxes by 2 mills with assurances from the State that state funding would be boosted. However, “we ended up getting less on the allotment sheet,” Sumner said. “The whole goal is to make us pay more locally,” said Superintendent of Schools Dr. Jeff Shealey. In other words, Sumner said, switching from a bond mill to a regular mill would not guarantee more equalization funds.

Wiley added in explaining his vote: “If the previous superintendent had done a better job with the budget, we wouldn’t be in this situation.”

Also during the Monday, Aug. 8, meeting of the Cook County Board of Education:

2016-2017 fundraisers

Frank Carter made a motion, seconded by Maysoe Wiley, to approve the 2016- 2017 fundraisers for the schools. All voted in favor. Dr. Shealey noted the fundraisers are done in such as a way as not to encourage students to sell products door to door.

School bus purchase

Jerry Durden made a motion, seconded by Frank Carter, to purchase a 2017 Blue Bird 72-passenger bus for $83,740 from Yancy Bus Sales and Service of Macon. All voted in favor.

According to Dr. Shealey, the State will provide $77,216.25 in funding for the bus. The school system will pay for the remainder through SPLOST. (The Blue Bird also has the advantage of a threeyear warranty for its air conditioning system.)