Bertie Schools Seek Huge Tax Increase

The following is an open letter to the people of Bertie County by John Davis.

Does a property tax increase of 30% to fund school construction concern you? How about a tax increase of 70%? Still not concerned, then how about a 99% increase?

What if a federal court determines when the money is spent rather than the county?

Do you want to learn how this might happen and voice your opinion? Then attend the Board of Education public hearing at 6 PM, December 5th (at 222 County Farm Road in Windsor).

Here’s the story as I see it.

In February 2005, during the ongoing desegregation (open since 1968) case, the U. S. Department of Justice (through the federal court) indicated the facilities at JP Law Elementary School needed significant repair and updating. In response, the Board of Education agreed to provide the court a facilities report on the condition of every elementary and middle school in the county.

The consultant compared our current schools to the state guideline (not a requirement) for school facilities. This study provides a price tag to bring a school up to “acceptable” educational and construction standards and enlarges or adds additional rooms to meet an “ideal” instructional classroom size or content. Four options are provided in the study. They range from fixing all 6 elementary schools to closing the three smallest schools and building a new elementary school. The price tag ranges anywhere from $31 to $35 million.

Financed for 15 years the county tax rate goes up 44 to 49% depending on which option we choose. A 25 year bond would lower the tax increase to 35 to 39%. However, the second option is doubtful, since it would put the county bond debt at our maximum borrowing capacity of $50 million. We already have $24 million in bonds outstanding.

A new high school in the future could add another $30-35 million and then our facility updates could increase taxes 70 to 99% higher than today’s level. A new state-wide bond could lower these local tax increases but to fund so many new facilities taxes will increase taxes significantly no matter what help we get.

Ask your Board of Education member to work with the County Commissioners to understand and document the financial impacts of any facility recommendations we make to the court. We should present these financial impacts to the court, along with the rest of the information they have requested. We can be proactive and have the Board of Education and County Commissioners work together to develop a long range timeline for the court on when we can afford to fix each elementary school facility.

A series of public meetings on this subject would seem wise, given the impact possible once the court has the data. Let’s make sure any timetables possibly set for us by the federal government are done with the county’s best educational and financial interest in mind.

Also, request that the Board of Education ask the court for an exchange. If we agree to a long range plan to address our elementary school facilities, the court will declare our school system has achieved unitary status and will close the desegregation case that has been open for 37 years.


If you would like to attend the meeting, click on the map thumbnail below for the location on the South side of Windsor, next to the National Guard Armory and near the Cashie Country Club.

222 County Farm Road, Windsor, NC