The Escambia County School Board, at a special meeting this afternoon, approved the tentative budget and millage rates for advertising for 2010.
The documents and executive summary can be found here. Page 29 shows the drastic nearly $800 Million dollar decline in our Escambia county Tax Roll from last year to this year. Page 32 shows the side by side comparison of this year to last years' millage rates--they are holding steady at the same rate.
Last year, over my NO vote, the board raised the millage tax rate.
The previous year, I pushed to keep the rate steady, and was successful in persuading the board and district to lower the capital outlay portion of the millage such that the overall rate remained unchanged..
This year we are again doing the right thing for our community by holding the rate steady, although we did have the lattitude to go higher. I'm glad raising the rate was not recommended, as I would not have supported an increase to the millage tax rate; As I did last year I would have voiced displeasure and voted NO.
In difficult times we need to be mindful that property owners and small businesses are hurting. As we all attempt to navigate this tepid financial environment together we need to keep more taxpayer money in taxpayer pockets..
We will vote to adopt these tentative rates one week from tonight.
The outcome---the vast majority of Escambia County taxpayers will se a reduction in the School Board portion of their property tax bill.
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