May 13, 2012 By State Rep. Tim Mahoney 3 min read

As Fayette County school districts begin preparing their budgets amid warnings of likely property tax hikes, I would like to remind them that there was a better solution.

As cash-strapped property owners begin worrying how their own strained budgets can absorb higher school taxes, I would like to remind them that there was a better solution.

And as teachers in some districts grapple with talk of layoffs that seem more likely by the day, I would like to remind them, too, that there was a better solution.

To soften what I and many others foresaw as a coming and inevitable blow, I got acknowledged education experts to perform a study on the potential cost savings of consolidating the administration of Fayette County school districts.

The public was informed of the progress of this study, every step of the way. The results were released at a news conference where no one was turned away. I was encouraged when these results showed several practical ways in which we could save $20 million in school operating costs — at the same time preserving teaching jobs and substantially reducing school taxes and keeping the school identities intact.

In order to gauge public response and help build momentum, I tried to get administrative consolidation on the ballot as a voter referendum, so that the folks who foot the bills could have a say. In my mind, there is nothing more democratic than letting the people weigh in on an important issue.

Two people decided, however, that this was a bad idea. They took the matter to court, and as a result everyone else was deprived of having their voice heard. I really wish that all of Fayette County’s school board members and administrators had those ballot results in their hands right now, because they might be in the mood to embrace a groundbreaking alternative.

I have not given up on the idea of having a voter referendum on the administrative consolidation of our county’s school districts. It may or may not pass, but that really isn’t the point. The point is that I believe that on something this big, we should give the public the chance to have a direct say.

I trust all the people to make a decision (not just two of them), and I am willing to abide by that decision, whatever it is. But as you get that higher tax bill, or as you or your colleague lose their teaching job, or as you cast that vote for a double-digit tax hike, I hope you remember that it wasn’t Tim Mahoney who went out of his way to keep a better solution off the table.

Mahoney represents the 51st Legislative District.