School board to vote on property tax hike today

The Wilkes County Board of Education will be holding the last public hearing today to hear public comments on the board's proposed property tax increase. The board will then vote on the increase in a called meeting.

The hearings, the last of which is set for today at 9 a.m. at the Board of Education officeat 313-A North Alexander Avenue in Washington, are required by law to hear public comment whenever a tax increase is proposed.

Although Superintendent Joyce Williams said that she expected quite a bit of interest in the property tax increase, only a handful of citizens and only one school board member turned out for the first two hearings last week - eight attended at the Thursday afternoon hearing and 10 at the evening hearing.

Williams opened each hearing with a statement of where the school system was, and what forces were at work that required a tax increase. The schools were good and doing their job, she said, but the continuing steady decline of student population and a reduction in state and federal funding, plus mandated pay raises, made the budget go over this year.

She talked about the personnel cuts the board had made to reduce expenses already, and her concern about cutting too deeply. "I'm not too sure we haven't already cut too deeply."

Several of those attending the hearings were relative newcomers to the area simply seeking information, saying that they not familiar with the issues being discussed, but now wanted to know all about their schools.

Others were vocally against any property tax increase, especially tax increases from the county and the school board at the same time. "Couldn't you take turns?" asked business owner Jeanne Davis Blair. "I paid over $5,000 in property taxes last year. Isn't there a solution to this besides taxes?"

The Board of Education will meet directly after the hearing and vote on the tax increase.

On the same days as the Board of Education hearings, the Wilkes County Board of Commissioners has hosted hearings on their proposed tax rates for the year. Those hearings were held in the Wilkes County courthouse last week, and the last hearing will be today at 1:30 p.m.

The tax rate will officially be set today in called meeting of the county commissioners beginning at 2 p.m.

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