Yes For Marion Schools

Vote Yes! For Marion Schools  FAQs

Is this a new tax?

            No, the 1 Mil is a voter-approved renewal which dedicates a portion of the levied School ad valorem (property) tax to fund designated items such as School Safety, Career Technical programs, classroom size mandates, etc.

 

How can these funds be spent?

            School Safety, Career Technical education, class-size mandates, library, reading, art, music, and physical education.

 

Can the School System build new facilities with these funds?

            No, the 1 Mil can only be used for the voter-approved designations.

 

Who ensures these funds are spent as designated?

            The allocation of funds is reviewed and approved quarterly by the Independent Citizens Referendum Oversight Committee (ICROC). They provide regular reports on the spending and post them on their website.

 

The Schools received so much COVID money. Can’t they use those funds for this?

            No, the various COVID dollars are restricted to specific purposes none of which include Classroom teachers, Career Technical education, class size mandates, or school safety. Additionally, the various COVID funds are termed one-time allocations which will phase-out completely in two years.

 

Property Values have increased significantly in recent years. Why isn’t that enough money?

            Unlike Cities and Counties, the state restricts how much growth the School System can experience in ad valorem revenues. Just because property values grow, doesn’t mean that School revenues grow proportionately. Over the last 8 years, while property values have increased 80% and County General Millage revenue has increased 160%, the Schools have only seen a 27% increase and have been required to reduce their tax rate by 20%.

 

What happens if the 1-Mil is not renewed?

            The impact for the non-renewal would be felt starting in School Year 23-24. School Safety must be funded which means not only are referendum dollars lost but funds must be reallocated from other sources. The end result will inevitably mean the layoff of hundreds of teachers, significantly increased class sizes, the elimination of Career Technical, art, music, PE, and library programs and positions. This would be a repeat of what happened in 2011.

 

Here why these community leaders believe that you should Vote Yes! for Marion County Schools.

Please click the images below to view the videos.