While the three school systems have not come up with a specific plan, Carlisle told the board, “As educators and advocates for public education, we understand the concerns in our community about Halifax County Schools not receiving a portion of local sales and use tax proceeds and strongly believe that all schools should be fairly funded.
“We also know, however, that merely switching from the ad valorem method to the per capita method would not directly address these concerns and would cause direct, immediate and substantial harm to Weldon City Schools, the Roanoke Rapids Graded Schools District, the (Our Community) hospital district and each of the fire districts in Halifax County.”
Carlisle suggested, “Rather than rushing forward with an ill-advised switch from the ad valorem to per capita method of tax distribution, we believe that the best way to address these issues is a collaborative approach involving all three school districts, the county board of commissioners and the local legislative delegation.”
To that end, Carlisle said, the three school systems support efforts to explore a mutually agreeable legislative solution to permit the sharing of local sales and use taxes with the county school system beginning in the 2017-2018 fiscal year. “There are many legal and practical issues that would need to be explored and resolved to achieve this goal, and all of the affected governmental entities must have the opportunity to reflect, deliberate and determine their position on these issues.”
While the respective boards have not officially met to endorse the proposal, Carlisle told commissioners, “We are committed, however, to bringing this matter forward to our respective staff, legal counsel and governing boards, and to engaging in further conversation with the board of commissioners and our community at large.”
Carlisle said the boards believe an implementation date of July 1, 2017, would give the parties sufficient time to carefully review and resolve the legal and practical issues presented.
Carlisle said the three groups decided there would be no winners by switching to the per capita method. “There is no further distribution to other taxing districts, including public school districts. This means that, if Halifax County were to switch to the per capita method of distribution, neither the fire districts, nor the hospital district, nor any of the three school districts in Halifax County would receive a portion of the local sales and use taxes.”
Board of commissioners Chair Vernon Bryant asked Hardy and Credle whether they were behind the plan.
“Yes, yes, yes,” said Hardy.
Credle said the letter states the three systems are working “to make it come to fruition. We are committed to making this work.”
Commissioner Carolyn Johnson wanted to make sure equitable funding is the priority.
“Our goal is to have a form of equitable distribution,” Carlisle said. “It will be an equitable split of the money. We're going to take a hard look and talk it through to hammer through the details.”
Said Credle: “Equity, that's what we're looking at.”
Credle said the proposal gives the three school systems time to work on the details before the general assembly's long session. “We going to do it as fast as we possibly can.”
Commissioner Marcelle Smith said there has been “a lot of lip service” in the past and wanted assurances there would be a workable plan before the July 1 date of next year.
Hardy said she the three representatives were “standing on behalf of the children.”
The decision to stick with the ad valorem method and let the school systems craft a plan came on the heels of a public hearing on the matter last week.
Bryant thanked those who spoke and said, “Tonight's decision by the Halifax County Board of Commissioners is a landmark decision for Halifax County. For the first time, children in the Halifax County School District will have an equitable share of the sales and use tax just as Weldon and Roanoke Rapids.”
Bryant said the decision to stick with ad valorem will allow towns, fire districts and the hospital to continue receiving funds. “By the schools working together and what we've approved, no one loses. There are no gains for towns, but no one loses.”
State Representative Michael Wray said he was pleased with the decision. “I think if they make a good faith effort and come up with a solution, we're more than happy to help them through the general assembly.”
Reverend C.E. McCollum, of the Roanoke Valley Southern Christian Leadership Conference, has been pushing for a change in the distribution to benefit the county school system.
“It's heartbreaking for me,” he said afterward.
He said throughout discussion of the issue, the school leaders only gave lip service to equitable funding. “Why can't we fund the children and the kids the resources to help pull themselves up? I feel like there's more for them than a trip to the county jail.”
He said the decision only means more delays in getting equitable funding for the county school system. He said he will be talking with the county's legislative delegation. “I'm going to talk to them and see what they can do to help us. I'm grossly disappointed and hurt.”
