Know the facts about the threat.
Albemarle County Schools face a true crisis:
- Albemarle County School Board submitted a $145.2 million funding request for 2010-11, incorporating more than $6.1 million in cuts and the loss of more than 40 teachers and classified staff.
- Gov. Bob McDonnell proposes more than $730 million in cuts to education over the next two and a half years, forcing the county board.
- Due to the Governor's new proposed cuts, the county schools likely face an additional $8.5 million reductions from the state, leading to even more cuts in staff size and resources.
We have the capacity to stave off the cuts:
- Virginia is 8th in the country in per capita income, but it is 43rd in percentage of tax contribution compared to personal income.
- Albemarle is 9th highest in per capita among Virginia's 33 counties.
- Albemarle's per capita income is 59% higher than the City of Charlottesville, yet the city spends $2500 more per student.
- Albemarle ranks 118th out of 134 localities in "revenue capacity" - with 134th being highest capacity.
- Albemarle ranks 123rd out of 134 localities in level of "fiscal stress" - with 134th being lowest stress
Raising revenue is the only realistic solution:
- If our real estate tax rate went to just 86.5 cents per $100 of value, more than $10 million would be raised for education -- or about $270 a year.
- $15 million is required to close the shortfall from the state -- but even that would require only about a dollar a day from property tax payers.
- Property owners would suffer financially from a drop in property values due to a deterioration in public school quality – a hit sure to exceed the modest increase in property taxes necessary to keep our schools great.
