The first time Hamilton County commissioners and school board members met to discuss the payment-in-lieu-of-taxes issue in February, things didn’t go well.
On Tuesday, the parties tried again, and though neither side reversed positions, parties on both sides of the issue said they left with a more positive feeling.
“We share their concerns and we wanted to open up a positive line of communication,” said Commission Chairman Larry Henry. “We aren’t school board members, and we don’t know all the issues.”
Payment-in-lieu-of-taxes agreements, known as PILOTs, are property tax breaks that excuse companies from tax bills for a period of time except for the portion of the tax that goes to schools.
The commission, which is responsible for giving the school board its money, wants to use PILOT money only for school construction, while the school board wants to put the money in its general fund.