I’m driving down the road the other day and almost ran off the road when a Nashville radio station reported that Wilson County Director of Schools Mike Davis is fighting for a 34 cent increase in the property tax, but the county commission is only willing to give him a 20 cent increase. Apparently if he doesn’t get his way, then field trips, nurses, and teachers aides will be cut from the budget.
Note that his personal business trips will continue unabated, thus putting himself above the budgetary needs of the students. Typical out of touch Government Bureaucrat, putting himself above the needs of those he supposedly “serves”. We all know we are here to serve him, not the other way around. We all know it is the School Board’s money, not the taxpayer’s money. We all know where his priorities lie.
I regress, let’s go back to the 34 cents versus 20 cents increase.
A 20 cent increase is a 8.9% increase in our property tax. A 34 cent increase is a 15.2% increase in our property tax. This is on top of MTEMC’s 20% increase in our utility bills. (The difference is of course we can cut back on electrical usage, but not on our property value.)
Mr. Davis claims the money is needed to fund the three new schools (really just one new school since MJHS and MJMS both existed last year and only changed buildings this year, thus they were both budget line items last year). He claims extra is needed to replace less money coming in from the State.
Ok, he does have one new schools to fund, I’ll give him that. NOT THREE SCHOOLS AS HE FALSELY CLAIMS.
Regarding State Money. Yes, the State is going to hand out less money, due to fiscal problems. Our Democratic Governor is actually tightening the belt and cutbacks are going on. Our School Director by contrast is trying to grab more of our money and expand his budget. Hmmmm.
I’ve got one question. I have seen nothing in the paper about Lebanon Special School District crying out for a property tax increase to replace State funding. Why not? Maybe they are actually using budget tactics that limit their spending, whereas the Wilson County Board of Education is on a drunken spending spree?
Mr. Davis needs to set the example and cut back on his Travel Budget and quit taking his junkets to all these conferences. 7 this year alone. 4 more than Duncan did in two years.
It starts at home Mr. Davis. Cut your travel budget before cutting the school’s. Get rid of that bloat in the Home Office before you cut the schools.
Quit threatening our children. Maybe Mr. Davis and Mr. Hall need to listen to Dave Ramsey and make a budget and stick to it.
Time for the School Board to remember that Davis and Hall work for them, and work for the people of Wilson County. We do not work for them.
