A majority of Hamilton County commissioners said Tuesday they wouldn't support a tax increase - which may or may not be requested by Mayor Jim Coppinger - for Hamilton County schools.
Putting the cart before the horse seemed a reasonable conclusion after the district's budget presentation by interim Superintendent Dr. Kirk Kelly, who was unable to parry questions asked by commissioners about ineffective programs, a bloated fund balance and how low-performing schools might be turned around.
The interim schools chief told commissioners the district needs an additional $24 million to improve literacy, expand vocational programs and improve the low-performing schools, goals he said were reflective of what the community said it wanted.
Coppinger said he hadn't decided whether to include Kelly's request in his fiscal 2017 budget.
A year ago, then-Superintendent Rick Smith campaigned across the county for public support for a $34 million increase in the schools' budget that would fund a number of things, including more art and foreign language classes in the schools.
Kelly acknowledged, in answer to Commissioner Joe Graham's question, that the $24 million he was requesting would be in addition to roughly $12-$13 million more in funds the district would get from the state.
But while the commission increases its outlay for the schools annually, Graham said, test scores continue to decline.
"I think we've proven money is not the problem," he said.
Graham also mentioned the schools' "fund balance of enormous magnitude." Why not use some of that money to fix onetime problems such as rodent trouble at one school and sewer gas odor at another? he wondered.
Kelly's weak response was to mention the need for "reoccurring money," which is necessary for ongoing programs but not for immediately mendable problems.
His answer to Commissioner Tim Boyd was equally inadequate about the millions previously spent on various ineffective literacy programs. He said only that a chief academic officer had been added, more training would be forthcoming and changes were being made to help teachers and administrators.
Additionally, Kelly also made a play for more money for vocational programs, which is needed, but he defended having various programs at several schools. A comprehensive school, he said, would be too big. But we would like to see some thought given to more flexibility in how vocational programs are structured, perhaps working in tandem with Chattanooga State Community College in gradually moving some of the programs there, where the system's STEM School Chattanooga is located and where students eventually might work toward certificates and degrees the community college offers.
The interim superintendent, overall, should not be held responsible for all the schools' woes, having been elected only last month, but we would like to have heard from him a more forceful pledge to rid the system of ineffective programs, to examine what many believe is a bloated central office (and is being reorganized) and to take a hard look at a spending some of the fund balance for maintenance needs.
We believe that's the least of what someone in his position should do to prepare the system for a new superintendent.