Unlikely tax collectors’ pay rate to be addressed this year, according to school board
BROWNSVILLE – Despite complaints from a couple of members of the Brownsville Area School Board that the issue wasn’t placed on last month’s agenda, it is unlikely that any action will be taken this year to change the method and rate of paying the district’s five tax collectors. Every four years, school directors have the option of making a change regarding the method or rate, but action must be taken by Feb. 15 to affect the four-year period that begins in 2006.
Although the issue was listed on the board’s work session agenda, it was removed without discussion during that meeting and did not appear on the agenda for the regular meeting. This month’s work session is on Feb. 14, but the regular voting meeting will be held on Feb. 17, two days after the deadline.
The district pays a 3-percent commission on real estate tax collections, and pays a higher 3.5-percent commission on its $10 per capita tax collections. According to information from business manager, Michael Huth, in the 2003-04 fiscal year, the school district received $2.6 million real estate taxes and $52,000 in per capita taxes, which translates into tax collector payments of $78,000 and $1,820 at the respective 3-percent and 3.5 percent commission rates.
Board members Stella Broadwater and Nena Kaminsky have spoken in favor of bringing the issue up for a vote, even if it means scheduling a special meeting to do so.
Kaminsky said Monday that she has called and asked for a special meeting, but added that she doesn’t think it will happen. Board President Rocky Brashear said that as of Friday, he had no plans to call for a special meeting. In order to call a special meeting, five board members signatures are required, five days notice must be given and the president must OK the action.
Brashear said he only received one call from a resident asking if a meeting could be called. “Whatever the board feels it wants to do, I’ll talk about it,” he said. “But there has been no meeting called to talk about it.”
Brashear pointed out that only one person mentioned the issue at the monthly meeting. He said it would be different if there were 1,000 residents lined up to talk about it. Edward Hazelwood chastised the board for not discussing the issue and told board members they were engaging in a dereliction of duty by not discussing it.
Both Broadwater and Kaminsky said they felt the issue should have been on an agenda for discussion.
While Kaminsky said she believes tax collectors should be eliminated, or at least the rate should be dropped one-half percent, Broadwater said she isn’t sure what the solution should be.
Kaminsky said since Brownsville is the poorest school district in Fayette County, something should be done with the rate. She said even if the rate is lowered, tax collectors will make up the money when the millage rate is raised. Kaminsky said at least the board members who are running for re-election should have to vote.
“You’re there for the constituents,” she said of the elected board members.
Broadwater expressed disappointment that Brownsville Area was the only school district that didn’t take any action at all regarding the rate. “I think we all should have voted and there should have been discussion,” she said.
While Broadwater said she would want to be fair, she said it would be difficult because Luzerne and Redstone have more people than Brownsville. “If there is a special meeting, I wouldn’t be afraid to vote,” Broadwater said.
Broadwater added that she and fellow board members John Evans, Roseanne Markovich and Ellen Rohrer, whose terms are up this year, should be made to vote if they plan on running for re-election.
“I feel the taxpayers were cheated,” she said of the lack of a vote. “And if we plan on raising the mills, they will get the money back anyway.”