BOE’s Proposed Millage Rate Is Same As Last Year’s

By LYDIA BERGLAR
News Editor

The Dade County Board of Education held the first of three public hearings regarding this year’s millage rate on August 8 at 11:30 a.m. The second hearing was August 8 at 6 p.m., and the third will be this Thursday, August 15, at 5:30 p.m. The board will vote on the millage rate directly after the third hearing.

The proposed millage rate of 14.000 is the same as last year’s, but because property values have increased, the net taxes collected will also increase. At the first hearing, Superintendent Josh Ingle reported that the value of one mill was $532,974 last year and is $571,788 this year.

The board published the five-year history in last week’s Sentinel which showed that the millage rate was 15.330 in 2019 and 2020, 14.388 in 2021, 14.200 in 2022, and 14.000 last year.

However, aside from a -1.97 percent drop in 2019, the net taxes collected have increased each year. 2020 had a 3.29 percent increase, 2021 had a small 0.98 percent increase, 2022 had a 9.66 percent increase, last year had a 11.05 percent increase, and this year’s is anticipated to be a 7.28 percent increase.

At the first public hearing (just like at last year’s hearings), the board explained that state equalization funding and the local homestead exemption referred to as “65 and five acres” both contribute to a higher millage rate.

This year’s rollback rate is 13.335, but the board must set a millage rate of at least 14.000 in order to qualify for state equalization funds. As a refresher, the state takes 5.000 mills from every school district (called Local Fair Share) and redistributes this money via equalization grants to the school systems deemed to be the neediest. Dade County has historically been on the cusp, sometimes receiving equalization funds, and sometimes not.

Last year, we did not receive the funds, but the board anticipates receiving $154,370 this year. Ingle said, “It’s not a lot compared to the overall budget, but it’s a teacher salary and a parapro for sure.”

However, this amount pales in comparison to the $2,881,382 that the state will take through Local Fair Share. The anticipated $154,370 is only 18.67 percent of the amount taken.

As noted at the May board meeting, Ingle reported that this year’s budget was passed with an anticipated $653,862 deficit, caused by several factors. He later explained to the Sentinel that the Fund Balance will cover this deficit, and the budget was prepared with an anticipated three percent increase in the digest. However, the increase ended up being about five percent, so the deficit will be under $200,000.

During public input, citizen Steve Cavanaugh asked several questions. He asked if all of the ESSER (Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief) Funds were being used. Ingle confirmed that yes, all of the ESSER Funds are being utilized.

Cavanaugh asked for further clarification of Local Fair Share/equalization and what the state does with the funds collected from all counties, but Ingle and the board did not know exactly where these funds go or how they are used aside from the equalization funds that are distributed.

Johnny Warren (Trenton District) said, “The poorest counties in the state…that’s who gets the most money out of those five mills that every district loses.”

Shifting into the discussion of 65 and five acres, Ingle added that with over 60 percent of Dade County’s students receiving free or reduced meals, the majority of our families are low income. However, “When you look at our tax digest and the value of properties, we appear to be very, very wealthy.”

The tax digest includes expensive homes and properties that are exempt from paying school tax due to 65 and five acres, but the state does not take that into account in the equalization grant process.

Cavanaugh asked who the best person is to contact to find out what the state does with equalization funds, and Ingle said State Representative Mike Cameron or State Senator Colton Moore are the people to talk to.

Cavanaugh asked the board, “Where do you personally stand [about] what is the most important element of the increase in the millage?” to which Jayne Griffin (At-Large) explained that the millage rate is the same as last year’s rate.

Carolyn Bradford (Lookout Mountain District) explained that having interventionists is a continued expense, but she sees interventionists as very important for students’ education.

Returning to 65 and five acres, Johnny Warren (Trenton District) said, “The taxpayers voted that in years ago in the 90s. We’ve tried to get representation to just get a referendum…because the taxpayers put it in, they should have to make the decision whether or not to change it…It’s an issue that we voted in under—I’ll just say it—false pretenses.”

Ingle added that conversations with state representatives happened before he became superintendent, but no movement was made at the state level: “They don’t make it on the ballot because of lack of support at their level.”