So what else is new? Alabama has been dancing the education two step for years — one step forward, two steps back — every time there is a downturn in the economy.
That’s what happens when officials tie the bulk of funding to taxes that are subject to peaks and valleys, like sales tax. Property tax is a more stable source, but there is a negative knee jerk reaction guaranteed whenever the subject is raised, let alone the taxes.
Truth is, Alabama continues to have the cheapest property tax in the nation. And much needed programs, like the Alabama Math, Science and Technology Initiative can’t even get the funding it needs to help move state students forward because the funds aren’t there.
Explain to students struggling through Math and Science or who cannot get access to a computer that the culprit is the downturn in the economy and not the people who refuse to invest in our children’s future.
Having a hard time making that argument? It should come as no surprise. It just doesn’t add up against the backdrop of the needs in classrooms around this state.
There should be no difference in a classroom in Mountain Brook and a classroom in the Black Belt, but there is. And the most significant difference is the investment made in education.
Ten times over the past 30 years — one third of the time — Alabama schools have suffered under proration. And budget cuts do not bode well for Alabama’s students.
While the issue of reforming Alabama’s tax system to provide adequate and stable funding for the state’s school will likely come up again in the next legislative session, it will not be successful until a majority of the leaders in this state step forward to make it so.
Let’s hope they will for the sake of Alabama’s children.
Jim - I like your idea of the averaging; that's certainly one way to work the 1 to 2 year economic downturn into the equation. What the hell do we know though; we're only intelligent.
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The Case Against Standardized Testing: Raising the Scores, Ruining the Schools - the author is Alfie Kohn
It's pretty easy. Instead of taking tax dollars and giving them to the fed's to give to schools, you take tax dollars and give them to parent (vouchers) they then choose what school to spend the voucher at. For example, the gov gives out food stamps they don't own grocery stores. And BTW I didn't vote for Bush twice. Vouchers have been around for a long time. It's based on capitalism. I recommend "The Worm In the Apple." If you truely care about education.
We're renting for now, but from what I have seen, property tax on housing here appears to be slightly higher than Alabama. I did talk with family members in Georgia once about property tax, and property tax on housing in GA was a little more than twice as much as what I paid in AL for a comparable value home.
Truth is, Alabama continues to have the cheapest property tax in the nation. And much needed programs, like the Alabama Math, Science and Technology Initiative can’t even get the funding it needs to help move state students forward because the funds aren’t there. "
This is propaganda to aclimate the public to be prepared for double and maybe even triple property taxes. People are being forclosed on now in record numbers so why not raise property taxes so that the rest will lose their homes and land. Open up your billfolds and surrender your land and homes because the government needs it all for the sake of the " children" (playing on people's heartsrtings".) Take note of the last sentence in the above article.:"Let’s hope they will for the sake of Alabama’s children". If people do not take a stand on this issue then a lot of people will be living in government housing and or in the woods.Things are bad now but they are about to get worse.