Why Your Property Taxes Keep Climbing While Schools Keep Struggling
Why Your Property Taxes Keep Climbing While Schools Keep Struggling
Targeting your school board won’t fix the real issues with Georgia’s education funding. But local boards can do more to help address the problems.
If there’s one thing that gets people fired up, it’s the suggestion of a property tax increase. This year, in Catoosa and Walker counties, the outrage is palpable. With an intensity rarely seen, residents are prepared to burn local officials and superintendents in effigy. Folks are fed up, and the local school boards and the superintendents and administrations they oversee seem like an easy target. But before you grab the torches and pitchforks, let’s take a step back and consider whether we’re aiming our anger in the right direction to truly address the problem long term. The truth is, the real story behind rising property taxes and school funding woes is more complicated—and it has a lot more to do with state-level policies than local decisions.
The Illusion of Local Control
Imagine this scenario: Tomorrow, the local school board identifies a single cut they could make. This cut wouldn't affect academics or athletics one bit, but it would save just enough money to allow them to set the millage rate at the full rollback rate. Sounds perfect, right? It's exactly what everyone's been asking for.
But here's the cruel twist - if they did that, we'd actually lose millions in equalization funds from the state ($9-12 million in Walker County). Why? Because the millage rate would fall below the state-mandated minimum of 14 mills required to be eligible for equalization funds.
So they make these cuts, they set the rate where everyone wants it—the full rollback rate—thinking they’ve solved the problem. But suddenly, the district is in an even deeper hole, scrambling to find millions MORE to cut to absorb the loss of equalization funding. We’re talking millions more in cuts.
The Bigger Problem: State Funding Scheme
This isn’t just a local issue—it’s a systemic one. The real problem lies in how the state of Georgia allocates education funds. The funding formula is based on outdated assumptions that don’t reflect the current needs of students or the financial realities of modern school districts. Even worse, the funding scheme often penalizes districts that try to give taxpayers a break.
The equalization grants, for instance, were designed to help level the playing field between districts with different property wealth. But in practice, it often forces poorer districts to keep taxes high just to qualify for state aid—despite massive state budget surpluses. This isn’t just unfair—it’s counterproductive. Instead of helping districts become more self-sufficient, the state’s policies trap them in a cycle of dependency and financial instability.
Why State-Level Reform Is Crucial
If we want to fix the problem, we need to stop looking for scapegoats at the local level and start demanding real change from the state legislature. Here’s why:
State rules are driving the crisis: Local school boards are stuck in a system where the state sets the rules—and those rules are stacked against them. Even the most well-intentioned local decisions can backfire if they conflict with state funding requirements.
Local tweaks aren’t enough: No amount of belt-tightening at the local level can fix a fundamentally broken system. As long as the state’s funding scheme remains outdated and punitive, districts will continue to struggle.
Fairness for all students: The state needs to ensure that all districts, regardless of their local tax base, can provide a high-quality education. That’s only possible with a funding formula that’s based on actual student needs, not arbitrary tax thresholds.
The importance of student-based funding: A shift towards a student-based allocation model could provide a more equitable and flexible approach. By tying funding directly to the needs of individual students—whether they require special education services, English language instruction, or other support—districts can better serve their communities without being hamstrung by prescriptive outdated state formulas.
So, What Can Be Done?
Our school boards have tremendous power—they’ve just been trained to believe they’re as helpless as Joe Biden trying to outmaneuver Kamala Harris in a power struggle.
They need to demonstrate, through meaningful actions, that they are genuine representatives of the citizens, not just mouthpieces or cheerleaders for the government entity they are supposed to oversee. This isn't about empty posturing or political theater; it's about stepping up and proving that they are truly on the side of the citizens and students in this fight. Because, let's face it, in today's world, what people want most from their public officials is a willingness to fight for what's right—something that is all too often in short supply.
So what should our school boards do? For starters, they could pass the proclamation that I've made available to them(linked below). This isn't just a piece of paper; it's a statement of intent. By adopting this proclamation and formally sending it to the state legislature and the leaders in GADOE and the state board of education, our school boards would be sending a clear message: that the current funding system is broken, and that it's time for real, meaningful change.
It’s time for school boards to step up and show that they’re not just helpless pawns in the state’s game. They have the power to lead the charge for reform. And it’s time for citizens to realize that the real battle isn’t with the school board, with local teachers or the district superintendent—it’s with the state government that’s put them in this impossible position.
The Power of a Proclamation: An unorthodox Approach
There’s a novel proposal that could get things moving in the right direction—a proclamation (PDF linked below) I wrote that local school boards can pass and send to state legislative leaders and committee chairs as well as GADOE leadership to call for state-level reforms. Here’s why this could be a game-changer:
Strength in numbers: If school boards across multiple counties pass this proclamation, it sends a message to the state that this isn’t just one district’s problem—it’s a statewide issue.
Shining a light on the issue: A formal proclamation could attract media attention, which means more people will understand the real issues at stake.
Putting pressure on lawmakers: When local boards officially demand state-level reform, it’s harder for legislators to ignore the problem.
Educating the public: This proclamation isn’t just about getting the attention of lawmakers; it’s also about educating the public on why state-level reform is so crucial.
Building alliances: If districts across the state start working together, they can build a coalition that has the power to push through real changes.
Take The Long View
The local school board and superintendent may be the face of education in your community, but they’re not the ones pulling the strings when it comes to most funding. The real power lies with the state government. Only by pushing for state-level reforms can we hope to regain local control and create a fairer, more sustainable system that serves both students and taxpayers.
So, the next time you see your property tax bill, don’t just get mad—get active. Talk to your to your state legislators. Attend a school board meeting and ask what they’re doing to advocate for state-level change to deliver real local control and fair funding of students NOT programs.
NOTE: I want to emphasize that I am not suggesting local districts are faultless or undeserving of scrutiny.