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Newton County education officials urge property tax relief that preserves school funding
Summary
Representatives of the Newton County Board of Education said the district has cut its millage rate to 30-year lows twice and asked local officials for property tax relief structured to protect stable school funding, warning that unpredictable revenue would force staffing cuts.
An agency official representing the Newton County Board of Education told local officials that the district has cut its millage rate to 30-year lows twice even as operating costs rise and mandates go unfunded, and asked for property tax relief that would not destabilize school operations.
The speaker said unpredictable revenue turns planning for staffing, instruction and transportation into "an exercise of speculation," and argued that public education is also an economic asset for the community. "Even while facing rising operating costs and unfunded mandates, the Newton County Board of Education has lowered its millage rate to 30 year lows twice," the official said.
The official highlighted recent gains in student outcomes and new career-pathway efforts, saying "today more students in Newton County are proficient readers than they were 3 years ago" and that the district has "implemented a workforce development framework connecting students to dual enrollment, certifications, and career pathways aligned to regional labor needs." Those initiatives were presented as part of the case that stable school funding supports local economic development.
A second speaker framed the district's budget vulnerability in staffing terms, saying, "We employ 2,500 people and that's 88%" and adding, "88% goes to, payroll and benefits." The speaker warned that if revenue becomes unpredictable, "the only lever left is staffing," listing teachers, bus drivers, parapros, custodians, security personnel, school nutrition workers and counselors as roles the community depends on.
The presenters asked officials to avoid rushed changes and instead address fundamentals before altering revenue policy. "The ask of this committee is just that maybe we slow down, look at the fundamentals, fix those, and then build a stable compromise," one speaker said, adding that the district believes property tax relief is necessary but should not jeopardize a stable school system.
No formal action or vote was recorded in the provided transcript excerpt; the remarks appear to have been a presentation and request for consideration by local decisionmakers.
