NASSAU COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT MILLAGE INCREASE
Estimated $70M over the next 4 Years?
As Nassau County citizens receive their annual tax bill, there are many questions concerning the school tax increase. There were actions by the Nassau County School Board and School District administrators which deserve scrutiny. Particularly decisions about how the district promoted the 1 millage increase to the public. Citizens are entitled to honesty and integrity from their elected officials. Additionally, in this time of financial stress for most, citizens deserve to know their tax dollars are being used wisely. Here are some questions to consider:
#1 – Where did the 1 mil school referendum money go?
The District promoted the millage increase by stating “most” of the money would go to teacher compensation. However, in the approved budget for the school year, the district’s proposed distribution of the millage revenues shows that the allocation of funds to TEACHERS may be as low as 35% of the total referendum taxes collected.
According to Union contracts, most voters would be surprised to learn a first-year custodian will receive a $4800 increase in base pay in the wake of the millage increase. In fact, 62% of teachers are set to receive a smaller pay increase than all custodians and support personnel.
Who negotiated this deal? Teachers with 0-6 years of experience received a $2,000 pay boost; teachers with 7-12 years of experience received a $4,000 pay increase. These 2 groups account for 62% of the teacher pool.
#2 –What was concealed from the Public that may well have changed citizens’ votes?
Mike Hickox, Nassau County Property Appraiser, requested a meeting with District Superintendent Kathy Burns well in advance of the November 2022 ballot measure to explain that the property tax numbers they were using were not accurate and the state millage graph used in their marketing piece was misleading. On the tax appraiser website, there is a graph showing state funding dollars increasing every year. Instead of using this graph in the School District’s marketing material, the District DELIBERATELY chose to deceptively use a graph showing a decrease in state millage rates, purposely creating an impression that state funding was decreasing hence the “need” for the millage increase. Mr. Hickox, in a face-to-face meeting with Ms. Burns, explained why using just the one graph is misleading. NCSD ignored Hickox and continued to use the graph of the declining state millage rate in its marketing materials – the graph which the Property Appraiser said was misleading.
#3 – Why was the effect of higher property values in Nassau County concealed?
In meetings, which occurred months before the referendum, between Ms. Burns, the Property Appraiser, his deputy, the Superintendent was informed that a rate increase materially below the proposed 1 millage would yield the $13.7M the school district said was needed. The district’s basic analysis did not reflect the increase of property values across Nassau County, when assessments are made to calculate an upcoming property tax bill. Did the School District make a conscious decision to withhold this material information from the public? There was no attempt by the School District or the School Board to change the proposed rate and tell the citizenry why. So according to Mr. Hickox, Superintendent Burns knew well in advance of the vote that the 1 mill increase would raise an amount well over the requested $13.7 million. (Over the 4 years of this millage increase it’s an easy estimate to say just the “overage“ will amount to over $13M that will be taken out of taxpayers’ pockets; funds which the district did not even ask for and apparently did not need.) When adopting the final tax rate, the School Board chose to keep ALL taxes and make no downward adjustments, even though it will receive a windfall beyond the $13.7M requested each year. No clear explanation has been made for the cash grab. Remember, this is only the first of a four-year window granted by the tax referendum and it has already generated around $3M more than was sought by the District’s marketing campaign.
Was Your Vote Swayed by the School Districts and School Board actions and inactions?
The above are just some examples which bring into question whether there is a pattern that NCSD may have concealed material information from the public; knowingly used misleading and false information in its marketing materials and omitted facts which may very well have affected whether constituents would have voted for this millage increase.
The citizens of Nassau County deserve integrity and honesty from its elected officials especially from those entrusted with the education of our children. Nassau Citizens Defending Freedom will continue to seek the facts and the truth in this matter to bring transparency to the citizens of this county.