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Hall County could not have two more talented and hard-working school superintendents than Will Schofield and Merrianne Dyer. Both have done an outstanding job for Hall County and Gainesville children.
In the recent article on school funding, Schofield said the tax digest is shrinking annually due to senior tax exemptions. While that maybe true, there are other factors contributing.
We have had higher-than-normal rates of citizens moving out of Hall, record level foreclosures, high unemployment, no raises or bonuses for those still working, and the promise of higher taxes coming from the federal government soon in the form of cap-and-trade and health care reform taxes.
At the same time, our county taxes and some property taxes are at levels of the boom times and not at the current value, which seems to be declining every day. That will lead to more decline in revenues in the future when they are reappraised.
Mr. Schofield, there simply isn’t any more funding. Our county is tapped out. Broke. Please take care of our teachers and county employees, don’t cut back costs on their backs. Our children may have to do without all the bells and whistles and fancy programs that we would have liked to have provided but just can’t afford.
Hall County families at home are stressed and worried and raising their taxes is a bad idea. It will only enhance the downward trend of tax revenues.
Since most of our county tax budget goes to our schools, its really going to be up to Schofield and Dyer to help make those hard decisions and we know they will do the right thing.
Lynn Everitt
Oakwood