Petition drive underway to hold recall election on school tax

By TONY FYFFE

BSN Editor

LOUISA — The Lawrence County Board of Education voted Thursday to levy a double nickel equivalent tax, but a petition drive is underway to place the issue on the ballot.

Th school board’s action levies an additional double nickel equivalent tax rate on real and personal property, which will produce revenue of 12.04 cents per $100 of assessed property.

“For the 2022-23 fiscal year, the District’s nickel equivalent rate is 6.2 cents, which when applied to the current rate brings the total real property rate to 69.6 cents and to 71.1 cents on personal property,” according to the board. “The District’s nickel equivalent rate changes each fiscal year and may be higher or lower when applied to future tax bills. The District will not begin collecting the additional revenue from this levy until the 2023-2024 fiscal year. The revenue produced by this increase will be dedicated to major renovation of existing school facilities, new construction, and debt service.

Of the initial $1,162,373.32 raised by the tax, $906,856 will be allocated to the school district’s building; $110,323.06 to transportation; $110,323.06 to maintenance of plant; and $34,871.20 to cost of collections.

Superintendent Dr. Robbie Fletcher recommended the tax to fund school construction projects, with a new Louisa West Elementary being the top priority. Fletcher said the new school would cost about $27 million.

The board’s action Thursday came a day after it held a public hearing in which several citizens voiced opposition to the tax.

“As much poverty as we have in this county, I’m amazed that we need to raise taxes even more on the people in this county,” Roy Adams told board members during last Wednesday’s hearing. “As for me, it’s as big a no as I can say.”

Adams said county voters and not the school board should decide whether to levy an additional tax.

“Our life is changed by, what, five people?” Adams said, referring to board members. “That don’t seem right. Why can’t the county vote on it?”

Todd Wilks said the proposed tax is equivalent to “an adjustable-rate mortgage that never ends.”

“And I don’t think people in the county would appreciate that,” he said.

Wilks questioned the board’s current use of money to upgrade athletic facilities when some classrooms in the district have water running down their walls every time it rains.

“We don’t want to give you no more money until you manage what you’re taking already,” Wilks said.

Danny Ramey said board members “ought to be ashamed of yourselves” for considering the additional tax.

Fletcher told the audience that Lawrence County has the lowest property tax rate in the 15th Region and one of the lowest in Eastern Kentucky. He said during Thursday’s meeting that the extra tax would be placed only on real estate and personal property.

“This is not motor vehicle tax, this is not utility tax, this is not on any type of aircraft,” Fletcher said. “This is not increasing any of those taxes of any sort. It is on what people pay each year on their property taxes. So, again, it does not increase any other tax.”

Lawrence County Clerk Chris Jobe said a local committee filed an affidavit with his office to circulate a petition calling for a recall election on the tax. The petition must have the signatures of 705 qualified voters to place the issue on the ballot.

Lawrence County voters successfully recalled a nickel tax the school board approved in 2018.