An email was sent out asking for people to turn out against the teacher union that would be asking for the tax hike. We need to set the record straight, we NEVER asked the Board of Supervisors to raise the taxes. We asked them to use the surplus they have and to find the money to fund public education Your President, Theresa Thompson sent this reply to them this afternoon. The fight is on for your salary and I hope you're making every effort to be there on Tuesday night!
Here are some of the responses to the inaccurate facts in the email: First is the statement from the email followed by the FACT
1. Taxes 26% higher than Spotsylvania. Our demographics are similar to Spotsylvania’s – similar population and student base. Yet our property tax rate is 22 cents higher than them. That amounts to $28.6M more in revenue. Even if you take into account for the Spotsylvania BPOL tax and other tax differentials, that means Stafford is soaking their citizens at least $20M more annually than Spotsylvania. We can afford to drop the tax rate 15c and STILL have as much revenue as Spotsylvania.
Fact: Spotsylvania total revenue is $249.875 vs. Stafford at $252.682—roughly $3 million difference to cover costs of about 6,500 more Stafford residents.
Fact: Student base in Spotsylvania is 23,265 while the student base in Stafford is 26,774—that is a difference of @ 15%--hardly a similar student base.
Fact: Spotsylvania per student expenditures are $610 higher than Stafford. If Stafford and Spotsylvania had the same per student expenditure, we would have to increase the school budget by more than $16 million
Fact: Tax and other revenue sources between Stafford and Spotsylvania are dramatically different. For example, they have BPOL, we do not. They receive more in state and federal funds. The more accurate approach is to compare per pupil and per resident total revenues and costs. The per student expenditures are $10,841 in Spotsylvania and $10,231 in Stafford—a $610 difference. Per resident expenditures in Spotsylvania are $1975 while those in Stafford are $1899.
2. The car tax last year brought in almost 5 million in surplus to the county coffers.
Fact: There is very little budget surplus projected for this year and the proposed budget does not project a surplus. Talking about last year, two years ago, or 20 years ago does not reflect the reality of today.
3. Teacher Raise thru Lower property taxes. Teachers who own a home here in Stafford will get an effective RAISE if you cut the property tax.
Fact: I am ashamed anyone would make this argument. The logical extension of this is that we could give teachers a really big raise by eliminating all taxes—except we would be bankrupt as a county and laying them all off.
4. Sequester. Many folks here in Stafford are being affected by the Sequester. That means they are taking a cut in pay or even losing their jobs. They could REALLY use a break on their tax bills. Cut the property tax and reduce their monthly mortgage payments NOW!
Fact: Sequestration will hit county revenues from sales tax, meals tax, etc…. The budget is barely in balance and Susan is proposing to reduce revenues without reducing expenditures--that is a sure path to bankruptcy.
5. Surpluses. Stafford has been showing surpluses each year, and is due for ANOTHER surplus this year. We demand you return this surplus to the taxpayers NOW in the form of lower taxes.
Fact: There is very little budget surplus projected for this year and the proposed budget does not project a surplus. Talking about last year, two years ago, or 20 years ago does not reflect the reality of today.
Bottom line, if we were to try and model our revenues and expenditures like Spotsylvania we would have to impose BPOL, increase the effective car tax rate, increase funding to Stafford Schools by $16 million, and increse revenues (taxes) to make up for the per resident expenditure rates.
Here are some of the responses to the inaccurate facts in the email: First is the statement from the email followed by the FACT
1. Taxes 26% higher than Spotsylvania. Our demographics are similar to Spotsylvania’s – similar population and student base. Yet our property tax rate is 22 cents higher than them. That amounts to $28.6M more in revenue. Even if you take into account for the Spotsylvania BPOL tax and other tax differentials, that means Stafford is soaking their citizens at least $20M more annually than Spotsylvania. We can afford to drop the tax rate 15c and STILL have as much revenue as Spotsylvania.
Fact: Spotsylvania total revenue is $249.875 vs. Stafford at $252.682—roughly $3 million difference to cover costs of about 6,500 more Stafford residents.
Fact: Student base in Spotsylvania is 23,265 while the student base in Stafford is 26,774—that is a difference of @ 15%--hardly a similar student base.
Fact: Spotsylvania per student expenditures are $610 higher than Stafford. If Stafford and Spotsylvania had the same per student expenditure, we would have to increase the school budget by more than $16 million
Fact: Tax and other revenue sources between Stafford and Spotsylvania are dramatically different. For example, they have BPOL, we do not. They receive more in state and federal funds. The more accurate approach is to compare per pupil and per resident total revenues and costs. The per student expenditures are $10,841 in Spotsylvania and $10,231 in Stafford—a $610 difference. Per resident expenditures in Spotsylvania are $1975 while those in Stafford are $1899.
2. The car tax last year brought in almost 5 million in surplus to the county coffers.
Fact: There is very little budget surplus projected for this year and the proposed budget does not project a surplus. Talking about last year, two years ago, or 20 years ago does not reflect the reality of today.
3. Teacher Raise thru Lower property taxes. Teachers who own a home here in Stafford will get an effective RAISE if you cut the property tax.
Fact: I am ashamed anyone would make this argument. The logical extension of this is that we could give teachers a really big raise by eliminating all taxes—except we would be bankrupt as a county and laying them all off.
4. Sequester. Many folks here in Stafford are being affected by the Sequester. That means they are taking a cut in pay or even losing their jobs. They could REALLY use a break on their tax bills. Cut the property tax and reduce their monthly mortgage payments NOW!
Fact: Sequestration will hit county revenues from sales tax, meals tax, etc…. The budget is barely in balance and Susan is proposing to reduce revenues without reducing expenditures--that is a sure path to bankruptcy.
5. Surpluses. Stafford has been showing surpluses each year, and is due for ANOTHER surplus this year. We demand you return this surplus to the taxpayers NOW in the form of lower taxes.
Fact: There is very little budget surplus projected for this year and the proposed budget does not project a surplus. Talking about last year, two years ago, or 20 years ago does not reflect the reality of today.
Bottom line, if we were to try and model our revenues and expenditures like Spotsylvania we would have to impose BPOL, increase the effective car tax rate, increase funding to Stafford Schools by $16 million, and increse revenues (taxes) to make up for the per resident expenditure rates.
