Citing state mandates and rising costs, Catoosa County Public Schools is asking for a 30 percent increase in its share of property taxes. But county residents have urged the school board and district officials to make further budget cuts to avoid higher taxes in a tough economy.

The proposed school budget for fiscal year 2025 was discussed at two public meetings on Tuesday. The presentation was led by Superintendent Chance Nix and Austin Carter, the school system’s finance director. Three public hearings are required for a tax increase and as part of the approval process for the upcoming school budget.

“Why do we need additional funding?” Nix asked in his presentation. “Just like with our homes, costs are going up and government subsidies are going down, net government subsidies.”

The proposed fiscal year 2025 budget of $137 million is expected to include nearly $53 million from local revenues and nearly $85 million from state and federal sources – leaving the school system with a deficit of nearly $680,000.

The system made cuts in the proposed budget, Nix said, but the amount the state charges the district for staff insurance has been increased. The system’s health care costs have risen by $10 million in recent years, he said.

The state told the district that the increase would be phased in gradually, Nix said, but the General Assembly voted in the last session to put the new funding rate into effect two years earlier than planned. The state provides about 60 percent of the school system’s health funding, he said.

The state provides money to school districts, Nix said, but much of it is returned to the state due to conditions. And in 18 of the last 20 years, the state has not provided the Catoosa public school system with the funds it promised, he said.

“The state has a record budget,” Nix said, adding that the state should better fund public schools.

The budget proposal also provides salary increases for many categories of school staff, some of which are funded by the state.

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About 100 people attended the morning session and filled the conference room. The evening session was again full, with many having to wait outside in the hallway.

A third school budget meeting is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. on August 13. The budget and monthly school board meetings are held at the school board office at 307 Cleveland Street in Ringgold.

The school board is expected to adopt the fiscal year 2025 budget on August 19 at 6 p.m. at the school board office in Ringgold.

According to a budget posted on the district’s website, the district will collect about $45 million in property taxes for the 2024-25 school year, compared to nearly $34 million for the 2023-24 school year.

BUDGET CUTS

“I stood here this time last year and said we’re going to form a financial task force and look line by line to see if there are any areas where we can improve,” Nix said.

On that basis, Nix said, the proposed budget eliminates 70 positions through staff attrition, resulting in savings of about $5.5 million. About 90 percent of the school’s budget goes to salaries, he said.

Many of the cuts affected secondary schools, he said.

CITIZEN INPUT

Rick Stephens, who lives in the northern part of the county, spoke out against a tax increase.

“I understand you’ve seen this coming for a long time,” he said at the morning meeting. “But you wait until you’re cornered and propose a 30 percent property tax increase.”

LaDonna Timms, who lives near Boynton Middle School, said at the morning briefing that she and her husband are on fixed incomes that are under pressure from inflation. Retirees have to go back to work to survive, she said, including her 70-year-old husband.

(READ MORE: Catoosa County School Board Proposes 30% Property Tax Increase)

Katherine Shanks, who lives in Mount Pisgah Township, said at the morning meeting that her mortgage has increased from $1,800 to nearly $2,500 in two and a half years, largely due to the property tax increase.

“We are now in serious danger of losing our home with six children,” said Shanks, whose husband is retired from the military. “I never thought I would have to worry about this.”

Taxpayers must follow a budget and make cuts and cannot simply raise taxes like the school system does, she said. Many families in Catoosa County are at risk of homelessness because of rising costs, Shanks said, and she asked the school board to reconsider the increase.

MORE CUTS?

Nix said the public is faced with the question: What kind of school system does the district want?

(READ MORE: Land acquired by Catoosa County Schools draws criticism amid budget consolidation for new fiscal year)

He said nurses, social workers, janitors, maintenance staff, therapists and other non-teaching staff could be laid off. Regarding drastic cuts to programs, he said advanced placement courses could be eliminated, as well as art, music, foreign languages, sports and student bus services.

“If we only want reading, writing and arithmetic, then those are the things that will be cut,” he said.

Cost savings could also be achieved by taking unpaid vacation days when no system employee is paid, or by laying off employees rather than cutting jobs through staff turnover, he said.

Public education is not a cost factor, said Nix, but an investment in the future of a community – because around 90% of students are taught there.

Some school systems in Georgia have cut funding and ruined their schools, Nix said, leading to low property values, high crime, small churches and fewer good jobs.

Contact Andrew Wilkins at [email protected] or 423-757-6659.

Staff photo by Andrew Wilkins / Residents and taxpayers attend a Catoosa County Public Schools budget meeting Tuesday as Superintendent Chance Nix answers questions about the budget.