By KARI BLURTON
Hays Post
On the last leg of the USD 489 talking tour to inform residents about the local option budget election, administrators and board members spoke Friday to nearly 50 Hays residents at the Hays Area Chamber of Commerce Chamber Chat at Rockwell Administration Center.
Mail-in ballots asking to raise property taxes for residents in USD 489 district from 30 percent to 31 percent were mailed Tuesday.
Assistant Superintendent for Special Services Mark Hauptman addressed the audience, explaining how state cuts to education have USD 489 operating on $1.3 million dollars less than was allotted in 2008.
“We have seen a dramatic decrease in state funding for the last five years and going on six years. Is that going to change? Not with the current tax structure,” said Hauptman, noting reduced state income taxes for small business, “as well as the rate we all pay,” have ended up leaving the state more than $300 million in the hole, according to recent numbers released by the state.
In fact, according to Board President Greg Schwartz, funding could get worse.
“Fifty percent of the state budget goes to education so if (the state) is down $300 million,” he said. “That is $150 million less for education next year.”
Hauptman said the district’s revenue options are the local level.
“I am just telling you state funding has dramatically reduced and we probably do not have the capability of getting the funds back without a change in tax structure,” Hauptman said. “So the LOB provides us the opportunity to help at a critical situation the district is finding itself in.
“I see this as an opportunity for the community and all of us, at critical point, to try to pass the LOB,” he added. “On the other hand, we need to keep fighting with the state funding — that is the critical piece. We need to step up and say (education) is a priority for us because that message needs to be sent to Topeka.”
This spring’s passage of HB-2056 by the Legislature settled a school-funding lawsuit and provided funds for poorer school districts — but took more funds from school districts such as Hays.
Part of that school funding compromise offers options for school boards to make up for lost funding, through passage of a local option budget increase from 30 percent to 31 percent.
“I want to be clear because some people think we have not been clear and we have. … I fully expect if we get the authority to go to 31 percent, we most likely will go to 33 percent for one year. Then, after that, it will drop back down to 31 percent.”
Greg Schwartz, USD 489 board president
The Legislation also provides the board of education the option to raise the 31 percent to 32 or 33 percent for one year at which the LOB will then go back down to 31 percent.
“I want to be clear because some people think we have not been clear and we have. … I fully expect if we get the authority to go to 31 percent, we most likely will go to 33 percent for one year,” Schwartz said. “Then, after that, it will drop back down to 31 percent.”
Schwartz said if the district passes the LOB increase, “step one” will be to bring back elementary teachers whose contracts were not renewed in the spring due to budget constraints.
At the same time, the board also agreed to increase enrollment fees to $60, increased the activity fee by $50, and, and for the first time, added a kindergarten enrollment fee of $150.
“Step two would be to reduce those fees, and also, all the while build the contingency funds … we just had to spend to get through the year,” Schwartz said.
Community members at the Chamber Chat thought the information was helpful but varying views remain.
Hays resident Larry Long said he gained some “good” information at the tour stop, but he still has “some problems” when it come to voting “yes” for the LOB increase.
“It is really tough when you sit here and listen to to schools say ‘we need more money’ when everyone else is having to do with less,” Long said.
On the other hand, Dustin Schlaefli of Hays said he had been “a little mixed” about the LOB.
“But overall, (I’m) pretty in favor of it,” Schlaefli said. “I have two kids in the school district … and we all do things for our kids, and I think it is a great option.”
The USD 489 website has more information on the LOB election HERE.