Ryan Fugate works to stack donations from Publix inside a school bus during the Stuff the Bus event on Sunday at the Chattanooga Market at the First Tennessee Pavilion. The event was part of the fifth annual Live United Day. Stuff the Bus was sponsored by United Way of Greater Chattanooga and the Chattanooga Market.At a glanceSunday’s donation goal: $20,000 in suppliesSunday donations: $26,000 in supplies2012 donation totals: $42,000 in supplies2013 donation goal: $50,000No. 1 item requested by teachers: Wooden pencils (no plastic coating)Source: United Way of Greater Chattanooga
Your taxes just don’t cover the costs to educate Hamilton County public school students, Hamilton County PTA spokeswoman Scottie Summerlin said Sunday.
And missing out on a potential $270,000 increase in funding because property taxes didn’t go up this year doesn’t help, she said.
It means teachers likely will keep dipping into their own pockets to put supplies in their classrooms.
But even that is drying up, said Kelley Nave, director of public relations for United Way of Greater Chattanooga.