Two EBR school taxes on April 6 ballot

Items up for renewal fund 11 percent of operations

Advocate staff file photo by PATRICK DENNIS -- The exterior of the East Baton Rouge School Board offices building on South Foster Drive.

East Baton Rouge Parish voters, except those in Baker, Central and Zachary, have two items on the April 6 ballot, renewals of property taxes that fund the East Baton Rouge Parish school system.

The parish school system is asking voters to renew:

• A 6.5 mill tax for general operations of the school system, generating about $20.1 million a year.
• A 7.19 mill tax dedicated to employee salaries and benefits, generating about $23.2 million a year.

The taxes amount to a total annual tax bill of $34.23 for a home assessed at $100,000. They are subject to Louisiana’s homestead exemption.

Early voting for the April 6 election starts Saturday and ends March 30.

The taxes would be renewed through 2023 if approved.

East Baton Rouge Parish schools levy 43.45 mills in total property taxes.

The two taxes up for renewal raise $43.3 million combined. That represents about 8 percent of all school system revenue and about 11 percent of the money that funds its general operations.

The district educates almost 43,000 children.

The taxes on the April 6 ballot are in effect in all of the parish except for Baker, Central and Zachary, which have their own public school districts.

According the parish Registrar of Voters Office, 234,386 people are registered to vote in the April 6 election.

When the taxes on the April 6 ballot were last renewed in 2004, only 7 percent of the registered voters showed up. The two taxes were both renewed with the approval of 71 percent of those voting.

Catherine Fletcher, chief business operations officer for the school system, emphasized that the taxes have been around for decades.

“It’s a renewal; it’s not a new tax,” she said.

If voters reject the tax renewals on April 6, the school system will be able to try again. If the taxes have not been renewed by the time the 2014 property tax rolls are prepared, then the school system will have to make budget cuts for the 2014-15 fiscal year.

On March 7, Fletcher informed the School Board that the district is facing budget cuts for the next three years, with $30 million this coming fiscal year, which starts July 1, and $15 million more projected for 2014-15.

A $43.3 million cut on top of that inevitably would hurt teachers, who make up more than half of the school system’s nearly 6,000 employees, she said.

Teachers’ salaries and benefits would be cut automatically and, to make up the other cuts, the school system likely would have to have cut back on personnel costs, which account for roughly 80 percent of school system spending, Fletcher said.

“That’s got to impact the instruction of children,” she said.

As with past tax renewals, the school system has opted so far against a large public information campaign.

Susan Nelson, interim director of communications and external relations, said informational letters to employees and parents are supposed to be sent out later this week, and phone calls will be made Saturday to let people know about the start of early voting.

Comments

1) Comment by Traveler - 21/03/2013

To Vernonbrew22: It is heartening to hear you describe the teachers and administrators as "courageous"----it's an apt description! However, Vernon, children-----public school children----DO read this newspaper and its online comments, and it must be so hurtful to them to realize that you are referring to them as animals (for who but animals would be "herded into a stall"?). True, many of our inner city children are poor and lacking in social graces, but they have good hearts and are doing the best they can to get an education while coping with the challenge of growing up in poverty. If you got to know some of them, you'd meet lots of kids with sweet spirits and a fine work ethic. They're not all "future killers," as you describe them. There's not much standing between poor kids and a life of crime or a life on public assistance except the education provided by our local school system, so I hope you and other voters will support it.

2) Comment by foldgers - 21/03/2013

Noel, I knew that, as I live on Lee Drive myself. But my point is the costs of maintaining it when apparently it really isn't NEEDED, is the reason I say sell the property. Heck, sell it to a private school or something. As far as the monney used to rebuild it, I did not know that. But either way, I believe I could find many better uses for the $40 or whatever million it will cost to rebuild this school. Not to mention, that property is in a prime neighborhood and I am sure is worth a lot of money. So, I say sell it to whoever, build the new school on the Golf Course at City Park. They already have tennis courts, parking lots and lots of land that is RARELY used by golfers and that is actually LOSING money for the city. Just an idea. It would be cheaper to build than to tear down and build... a little bit, but still cheaper.

3) Comment by phil - 21/03/2013

Just curious if anyone knows what is going on with Smiley Heights and the proposed new charter school there and who will pay for that?

4) Comment by Noel Hammatt - 21/03/2013

@foldgers: The money that is going to rebuild Lee High is from a separate tax that prohibits its use for anything other than construction. That is the way the public wanted it, and that is the way we kept it. Lee High School has not been vacant. Perhaps you didn't know, but it was used as "swing space" for Baton Rouge High as we rebuilt that school. It was overflowing, and it is currently housing a special program that is housed in it. So it has not been empty. Just wanted to let you know.

5) Comment by foldgers - 21/03/2013

I am with you Phil. But I say we mess with them, vote no on one and yes on the other. Keep the teachers pay, but lower the operations budget... hence, travel and pay included for those on the board. ;)

6) Comment by phil - 21/03/2013

Since my property taxes went up a lot last year due to CATS plus the new assessments and millage "roll forwards" I will be voting NO. Sorry, but many people need their own money more than the school system needs this money, and this might be a good place to start cutting taxpayer's expenses.

7) Comment by foldgers - 21/03/2013

Well, they have about $50 million or so to tear down Lee High and build a new school by next fall, but they need this money? I may vote yes for the teachers, but no for the operations budget just to mess with them. Or heck, don't renew it and don't build a new school on Lee Drive, sell that land and boom, more money automatically for the school system. I wonder how much in insurance they have spent on that property since it has been vacant. Not to mention, the amount of property taxes not being collected because that land is not privately owned... So recap, don't renew this tax, save money for the taxpayers, don't build a new Lee High and that money saved will more than cover the revenue lost by not renewing, sell the land and that will give the system more money right away, it will save money on insurance and upkeep and then also, more property taxes will then be collected. All the savings and extra revenue from the sale would take the place of not renewing this tax. Sorry, just my MEM moment. ;)

8) Comment by Noel Hammatt - 21/03/2013

@pete.kelly: I am the one who brought up McCollister, since he brought up the tax in the biz rpt, and suggested, as he has for 18 years now, that the public vote no. As others have noted, there are some conflicts of interest, and he is arrogant, but I wanted to note that he does not represent the masses, and, that he has never been satisfied with democratic processes. He supports a board until it doesn't do exactly what he says, then goes on the attack. @tradewinns: You have continuously claimed that our school system is failing, and I continue to ask, do you know anything at all about school performance scores and what role other factors outside the school play in the schools. I know you have this plan about holding parents "accountable," but you and I both know that your plan is the ultimate "big government" plan. I proposed a very, very modest campaign to introduce a bit of honestly into the debate, but supporting a public information campaign stressing a few things you might find meaningful. I asked then-Superintendent Pastorek to join with other groups around the state in a campaign to help parents understand a few things. One was that most important teacher a child will ever have is the parent. Those first few years are absolutely critical in the formation of the brain, and of future patterns of cognition and learning. Second, I wanted to stress the importance of books in the home and of reading to children. You seem to think that lots of parents don't care about their children. While there is a very small number for whom that might be true, the vast majority of parents care deeply, and what has been the message of our most recent administrations? That the only thing that matters is what school they attend. This is preposterous. And I had little success, I admit, in getting the School Board I was a part of to recognize the importance of those first few years. And of course, the early childhood grant Louisiana lost (because we didn't apply!) could have helped with this. In addition, the deformers refuse to even acknowledge the vital importance of early childhood and the concerns you raise. They claim, as perhaps you do, well, let's let a few "get out." The problem is, they are falsely labeling schools as failing, when there is no evidence that they are "failing." And they themselves fail to deal with the muck larger issues. Until we come to grips with these very real failures to address the real issues, we will never succeed in doing anything but killing off the very best hope we have of turning things around. I am more than willing to meet with you and others anytime to talk about these issues, to listen and to be there with evidence to examine so that we might come to common ground. [e-mail] is my email. I put all the data out, unlike some who are intent on hiding the truth.

9) Comment by Vernonbrew22 - 21/03/2013

At first glance, I say heavens No. This sorry system can take its kids and herd em into a stall. Who cares. But on closer glance, we need to protect the couragious teachers and administrators in order to keep then future killers in confinement. So pass yes. Not that it will help the process.

10) Comment by e.ducator22 - 21/03/2013

Wow tradewinns, thanks alot. I suppose you are an advocate of punish the masses for the ills of a few. You think it's bad now? Don't renew the tax and see how bad it can get. If you have a solution to the lack of parental involvement in the ebrpss, please, tell us what it is. I'm not sure how not renewing this tax is going to fix that. What am I missing? My guess is that you have never taught a day in your life and have never set foot in a classroom you so strongly despise. Help me understand, please.

11) Comment by pete.kelly - 21/03/2013

Where is Rolfe McCollister referred to in this article?

12) Comment by tradewinns - 21/03/2013

i will vote "NO" on the renewal. the public has one, and only one, way of showing disgust at the overall condition of our public school system, and that is through the power of the purse. our school system is failing and there is actually nothing being done to arrest that failure forget turning it around. if the public votes to renew the taxes, there is absolutely no reason to change anything. sure the talk goes on but nothing happens. in DC they would call it "kicking the can down the road". the NUMBER ONE PROBLEM is not nor ever has been funding, it is the lack of parental guidance of their children in education. discipline, or the total lack of it, is a result of that parental neglect. how many times have we heard our (or any) school board promise to take that subject to the courts if necessary to save those few children whose parents care? uuuhhhhh, NONE! politicians do not like making voters mad. so now is an excellent opportunity to get the SB's attention that the TAXPAYERS are not going to continue to pay for a 1st class system but receive a failing one. you are suppose to get what you pay for, not get what i give you, shut up and send me money.

13) Comment by spqr - 21/03/2013

Rolfe McCollister is so arrogant and out of touch. His daughter works for a charter school and he is on the board. McCollister also directly involved himself in the Jindal campaigns and publishes a business magazine. In the legitimate world this is known as a conflict of interest. The man has little credibilit and is often mocked by the city's uppercrust. He is not to be taken seriously.

14) Comment by Traveler - 21/03/2013

This is not a new tax. The EBRP School System is asking voters to renew a tax that has been in place going back many years. The article says, "...the school system so far has opted against a large public information campaign." Bad move this time-----the system needs to make sure that the public understand the consequences of a failure to renew the tax. And the system needs to make sure that the parents of children in public schools understand how that failure would directly and immediately impact their children's education.

15) Comment by Noel Hammatt - 20/03/2013

Since Rolfe McCollister started telling people to vote "NO" for tax renewals and new taxes for the EBR system in 1995, he was on the side of the public vote just once. He did propose that the public vote NO to "Monster Tax" plan we put up in 1996, and the public did vote that tax down. Ever since then, Rolfe McCollister has recommended voting no on every tax with the exception of 1 of 3 propositions on the renewal of the penny sales tax and millages we passed to build new schools. All three of those passed, and every other tax he suggested the public turn down was passed. Now he says we have to show that we don't trust the school board. But wait, this is HIS School Board. Just as the one in 1995 was. He doesn't like any school boards. In fact, he doesn't seem to care for any democratically elected bodies overseeing education. What a shame. Since he is against it, I suspect the renewals will pass!