Mark Graham, a member of Citizens Right to Vote on Tax Increases who helped lead the petition effort to require a recall vote on the nickel tax, submitted the following letter to the editor.
“A vote against the nickel tax is a vote against our kids,” they said.
“A vote for the nickel tax is an investment in the growth of Hopkinsville,” they said.
“Let us make sure our kids can compete in the 21st Century,” they said.
“We have some of the lowest school taxes in the state,” they said.
“Let us not punish our kids now for mistakes of the past,” they said.
“We cannot compete with surrounding communities because our buildings are sub-par,” they said.
And we said, “STOP IT.” Stop manipulating fiscal irresponsibility and accountability into an issue about “The Kids.” Who in this community isn’t for the kids? And shame on you for suggesting such, when we simply challenged those leading the CCPS to explain why existing structures have not been maintained and allowed to fall into such disrepair, even after closing three elementary schools within the district over the past couple of years.
Our questions are clearly an irritant to the board, other school leadership and many of our local elected officials. We must be on to something though, considering the amount of money being spent on their campaign to win a majority vote on Nov. 5.
An outsider observing might think, however, that maybe the issue isn’t building two new high schools, but rather real anger and concern that no one is listening to the public and values their hard-earned dollar.
- LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Lackey: Nickel tax allows us to address aging high schools
- RELATED: Nickel tax drives debate over school spending v. condition of two high schools
- RELATED: Final push on nickel tax vote reveals campaign methods
A brief history of how we got here
On Feb. 21, members of the Christian County School Board passed this now infamous nickel tax at its regular business meeting for the purpose of building two new high schools. A group of concerned citizens discussed and then researched state statutes, trying to find what rights we have as a community, to question and vote on how our tax dollars are being spent. As most everyone is probably aware, the school board has its own taxing authority on top of what city, county and other special taxing districts can impose. And almost yearly, when given the opportunity to vote on an increase, the board elects to implement the full amount of 4 percent. We’ll say it again. Your property taxes, a yearly 4% increase, just for the school district. THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE THE PROPOSED NICKEL TAX.
As a result of our research, it was determined we must obtain a threshold number of signatures — equaling 10% of the voters in the last presidential election — in order for this tax to be handed back to the community in the form of a ballot vote next week. We did just that, gathering more than 2200 signatures of eligible voters, which had to also be validated by the county clerk. (We would like to publicly thank them for time spent doing so.)
Our two cents, or rather face value of the coined “nickel tax”
The nickel tax, when explained by their creative marketing, is “only 5.5 cents per $100 of assessed value of a home or land.” And much like the pitch for the HCC WINS projects, the “average homeowner of a $95K house would only pay an additional $52.53 per year.” (With WINS it was $37 per year on your insurance premium tax if you live in Hopkinsville proper).
What they don’t say is that the nickel, when calculated, is actually a 12.85% increase on top of what we’re already obligated to pay. This is where we enter into counter-argument against entitled leadership, not just referring to CCPS.
Only half the residents and most all of the businesses actually pay what taxes are collected in this county. The idea of a consumption-based tax has been raised more than once with various new proposed increases, so everyone might pay their fair share. It should not fall burden on struggling families and elderly (those who own their homes) and local businesses to prop up a poorly led school system whose biggest problem isn’t facilities, but rather a culture crisis where students have no respect for teachers or education.
It has become the norm for local politicians and business leaders to try to use their own clout to sway opinion on various issues. This instance is the nickel tax. Presently, several of those publicly touting support for the nickel tax have their children enrolled in private school. Perhaps as a community we should give thought to requiring our elected leadership and other ambassadors of the county to enroll their own kids in public school. After all, they are on the front lines of “creating jobs and the type of place that our young people come to after college.” (Their words not ours). How is it we outspend our private schools approximately 2-1, yet private school enrollments are increasing yearly? What is most troubling and was aforementioned briefly is, it is our absolute right to question taxpayer expenditures no matter the entity. We have experienced stagnant growth over the past 30 years, even when our high schools were only 20 years old. We have let our local governments and taxing districts become want based rather than need-based. Why is the effort to increase our tax base not sought after more rather than adding taxes to our lifeblood of existing businesses and industries?
In closing, it is our hope both our elected and non-elected leadership is listening and watching closely. The opposition wants a voice and we should be met with at least an attempt to compromise. Your community is angry. Instead of telling us what we’re going to do, how about asking our opinion without a spin that’ll surely turn in your favor, after you’ve already decided your course of action? “The Kids” do deserve better and so do we.
Mark Graham, a member of Citizens Right to Vote on Tax Increases, helped lead the petition effort to require a recall vote on the nickel tax.
