ANDERSON — A tax increase referendum for Anderson schools will appear on the November ballot, and the measure has just gotten the stamp of approval from the school board — twice.
Although the Anderson Community Schools board previously approved putting a referendum adding an extra 55-cent tax to every $100 of assessed property value, newly-seated members of the board were given a chance to vote on the issue for themselves Tuesday.
Due to the Madison County Council’s inability to certify the referendum question during its special meeting Tuesday, the board was forced to vote again on an issue it had already addressed.
With four new school board members, some council members speculated that the decision would not remain the same.
They were wrong.
On Tuesday, the school board cast a unanimous vote in support of keeping the referendum on the November ballot.
New board member Jean Chaille supported the decision, but said it was a difficult one.
“This is hard because I don’t like to see us increase taxes,” she said.
Veteran board member Tim Long voted in favor of the referendum for the second time, urging support from other board members.
“We’re in such a desperate strait,” he explained. “The only survival chance we have is the property tax referendum.”
ACS Superintendent Dr. Felix Chow has said the referendum would bring in $6 million to $7 million in revenue for the school district each year.
During the same meeting, Chow revised earlier predictions about the school budget and said the outlook has improved, but is still dismal.
By 2011, he explained, the school district is forecast to have a deficit of $10.8 million.
By 2012, the forecast is a $17.8 million deficit.
The previous forecast was a $22 million deficit, Chow said.
The forecasts were presented during a “State of the District” address for new school board members delivered by Chow.
The address also included predictions regarding student enrollment.
It will continue to drop, Chow explained.
By 2013, ACS’ enrollment of 9,125 is projected to drop to 8,350, he said.
In 2009, the district faced a $2.1 million deficit.
This year, he said, the deficit is $5.1 million.
Faced with increasing deficits, Long said the school board had little choice but to ask voters to weigh in on the referendum. “Do you jump over the cliff or do you try to save yourself?”
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