School board backs levy fight

In reaffirming support for the upcoming March 6 school levy referendum vote, Franklin County school board members last week considered, and then decided against, declaring the dollars entirely for employee salaries and benefits.

Instead, the board underscored three points from a “frequently asked questions” sheet presented earlier in the meeting by Rik McNeill, a regional specialist from the Florida Education Association, who spoke in vigorous support of the upcoming referendum.

That FAQ said the money will be used by the district “to provide students with up-to-date materials and technology; recruit and retain caring, qualified educators; and increase student achievement and opportunities.”

Following McNeill’s remarks at the Feb. 9 meeting, board member David Hinton said he wanted revenue from this proposed half-mill referendum devoted entirely to salaries and benefits, just as the original half-mill levy, first approved in 2008, was earmarked.

If approved next month, the referendum would continue to raise, for another four years, what will likely be something around $1 million each year.

“For the original referendum we made strong statements the money would be for salary and benefits for employees,” said Hinton. “I haven’t seen it this discussion. I don’t know if we lost the philosophy or overlooked that philosophy. I’d like us to adopt that philosophy that we use it the same way.

“Also we said we would not touch one penny of that money for other things,” he said. “If we don’t have that philosophy we may spend it otherwise and I don’t know what’s what we want to do.”

Board member Teresa Ann Martin differed with Hinton. “I personally don’t like that philosophy because it puts the focus on that we want the money for salaries. It’s going to be used for other things; I don’t want to focus just on salaries,” she said. “A lot of times no one wants to go out and pass the referendum. It gives the impression we’re giving the employees a big raise.”

‘Happy employees equate to happy students’

McNeill’s presentation, in urging board support for the levy’s passage, suggested continued educational success in the district depended on a yes vote at the polls. He also implied that competitive salaries were a necessary component for district-wide success, and for an amicable settlement with the teaching staff.

“The citizens and the school board made all employees happy the last four years,” he said. “Happy employees equate to happy students, happy students have turned in improved scores. Inspired leadership made it possible.

“The administration and the teachers all pulled together,” McNeill said. “We are asking for that teamwork once again.”

The union representative praised the school board for having been able “to streamline and cut costs because of declining revenue from the state. Since the citizens allowed you the flexibility, the students have continued to excel, to improve each year.”

Flexibility is an important point, argue the levy’s proponents, identified on their paperwork as “Pd. For by: Citizens for Franklin’s Great Schools Contact Roy Carroll to join this group.” Carroll, the district’s director of finance, spoke at the meeting only when he gave his regular financial report, which showed data indicating financial projections were now in sharper focus, but as expected.

If the district is again granted the half-mill for operating revenue, it can continue the shift away from construction funding, which voters first enabled in 2008, say proponents.

“Franklin has risen from a D to a B and continue to improve in graduation rates,” said McNeill, mentioning Georgetown University, William and Mary, and West Point, as such topnotch schools where county graduates have excelled. “Not to mention the students who have become skilled workers and businessmen in this community,” he said.

Among the skilled workers whom McNeill referred to in his presentation were the teachers he represents. “Currently we cannot even settle the contract because you are pondering horrible draconian cuts,” he said, in the only reference to the ongoing contract negotiations between the administration and the teachers.

“You are proposing treating employees like they have never been treated in Franklin County, McNeill told the school board. “Never has the Franklin County school board been positioned to hurt employees because of finances.”

The Feb. 9 regular meeting of the school board was followed by an executive session between the board and the Tallahassee attorney who advising them in the contract negotiations.

‘It’s to keep us from going backwards”

In making the case for passage of the tax levy. McNeill relied on hand-lettered signs, in black and red lettering, held up by teacher Cathy Wood, a former president of the local union.

After decrying gaps and cutbacks in state funding, he outlined how the referendum this year will raise about $939,000, a little more than half of the $1.7 million it brought in the first year after passage.

Since then, annual revenue from the half-mill has declined each year, while Franklin County has continued to have the 64th lowest tax rates among Florida’s 67 counties, he said.

“Only Walton and Monroe have a lower tax rate,” said McNeill, noting that both counties have larger tax bases. “You all are dead last in the whole race in terms of taxing citizens and stepping up to support referendums and schools.”

In the event the referendum is defeated, he said. “drastic cuts” would be in store. “You must make some very hard, difficult choices. Which will you cut? Brain Bowl?” he asked.

“You have a sacred duty to help every employee, every teacher, to be successful. You must be able to provide all the possibilities for students,” McNeill said. “It’s not just the bricks and mortar, which is really nice. It is computers, tubas and musical instruments, textbooks and uniforms and equipment. Field trips, science experiments - these are the things that help to make your educators and students competitive now and into the future.”

In responding to Hinton’s proposal that all the referendum funds be earmarked for salaries and benefits, board chairman Jimmy Gander focused on the broader picture.

“When you lose this money, it’s just a matter of where you are going to plug things in. I think the wording was originally that the money was for raises,” he said. “Now it’s just to scrape and hold on. It’s to keep us from going backwards.”

Hinton reiterated his stance. “If we want to have the finest students we can have, then we need the finest faculty and finest employees and that can be best done by adequate salaries,” he said.

“I agree with what you’re saying. I don’t know if it would be worthwhile at this point to make a change in statement,” Gander said. “My philosophy is we do everything we can to raise the salaries but even saying that, it’s really hard to regulate that money going through there with what’s done with what.”

That about four out of five dollars in operating revenue in a typical year goes to employee salaries and benefits is without question. Also true is that when the levy was first approved, teachers were in line for a 24 percent pay hike over three years. Instead, they received a 13 percent pay hike over the first two years, and then a 3 percent bonus the third year.

Schools board members Carl Whaley and George Thompson, who like Teresa Ann Martin face the voters this fall, said they did not want to see the philosophy behind the referendum stated as being exclusively for salaries and benefits.

“I like the way it stays,” said Whaley.

“Me too,“ said Thompson. “Didn’t we get a 13 percent raise over the years? I’d love to keep that where it’s at. I’d hate to go in and take from there.”

Even with the vote against devoting the half-mill explicitly for salaries and benefits, Gander left little doubt the school board backed the measure before voters March 6, the cost of the special election paid for by school district funds.

“We were planning on that $1.66 million (in 2008) continuing on. We thought when we got to 2011, we thought we would be taking in $2 million,” he said. “Now we’re just fighting for survival.

“Go out and please try your best to find two or three people you know (to vote yes,)” Gander said. “If everybody that’s involved with this school system, if we get every person you have get us five votes, we’ll stack the ballot box with 900 votes. The opposition’s got to come up and beat us 2-to-1, if everyone will do their part.”

He said passage of local tax money measures such as this referendum are considered by state officials as a condition of additional funding. “The first question they always ask is ‘Are you all maxxed out in terms of your full assessment?’” said Gander.

McNeill invited the entire board to a free showing Wednesday night, Feb. 15 at the school cafeteria of the film “American Teacher,” narrated by Matt Damon and directed by Vanessa Roth.