CHICKAMAUGA, Ga. – Chickamauga city councilmen on Monday voted in a 17 percent property tax increase, the first hike in the city millage rate since 2003.
“Seventeen percent is a large tax increase, but I think the school board has clearly articulated their need,” Councilman James Staub said. “It’s clearly evident that the city school system is in desperate need of some revenue.”
Councilmen voted unanimously to increase the school fund millage rate from 10.25 mills to 12 mills to generate a little under $200,000 for the three-school district.
Staub, who made the motion for passage of the proposed increase, said the economy and state funding cuts whittled away the school system’s reserves. A reserve that stood at more than $1 million two years ago is down to about $250,000 this year, he said.
“If they do not get the revenue to operate [the system], then they’re going to have to make drastic cuts which are going to affect the basic quality of the education that the students are going to receive,” he said.
Chickamauga City Board of Education members passed a recommendation for the increase in September after holding three public hearings en route to a Sept. 23 vote on the measure. Superintendent Melody Day said the last increase was in 2003 raised the rate from 7.25 to 10.25 mills.
TAX HIKE IMPACTChickamauga City School officials say a 1.75-mill increase on local property taxes will generate almost $200,000 for the school system.$70: Annual impact on home valued at $100,000$5.84: Monthly impactSource: Chickamauga City Schools
Chickamauga school officials say enrollment is up, staffing is down, half a dozen furlough days are planned and most classes in the three-school system are at or near capacity.
Board Chairman Corky Jewell and board member Paul Chambers said last week that the school system is running out of options as well as money.
Jewell and Chambers said austerity cuts – state decreases in education funding that started in 2003 – amounted to more than $3 million for Chickamauga over the last seven years. Another $942,000 in cuts already have been tallied this year and system officials have few choices remaining, they said.
City Manager John Culpepper noted that many people don’t realize that the only property tax Chickamauga residents pay is for schools. The city has had no net general fund property tax since 2000 because a 1 cent local option sale tax offsets general fund property taxes, Culpepper said.
Contact Ben Benton at bbenton@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6569. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/BenBenton.