Bartow Schools Wants Permanent Tax HIKES, not Permanent Tax Relief.
Deceptive rhetoric from staff and unified resistance from citizens.
By David McKalip, M.D.
The Bartow School Board met with Citizens last night for the “first public hearing” relating to their “intent” to opt-out of the citizen approved tax hike limitation on residential property taxes. The board heard from 20 citizens who signed up and were adamant that the Board needed to not “Opt-out” of this tax hike limit, but should limit future tax hikes to the state inflation rate. This is a very large number of people1, and most stayed until 8pm after the 5:30 meeting started (along with their kids) to hear all that was said by the staff in “Rebuttal”.
The citizens presented data and personal stories. They made it quite clear that the board has continued to raise their property taxes, year after year and they could not take it anymore. Even seniors with large homestead exemptions STILL had increased property taxes.
The response from the majority of board members and staff, especially Superintendent Chuck Terza was contemptuous and typical. Their concern is that, if they can’t opt out then - now brace yourself, and prepare to gasp - then they would not be able to raise taxes as high as they want! GASP! Were you ready for that?
Further analysis of the many spurious and disingenuous claims by the staff, Chuck Terza and other Board members will be covered soon. But they amount to claiming:
We could have raised taxes even higher than 10-20%/year and you should be grateful we didn’t.
We have done a “Great job” of keeping taxes down.
There will be impossible cuts to make to school spending.
That if they did not “opt-out” then they may have to repeal the senior homestead exemption and other homestead exemptions.
They need to plan for the “future” for more schools.
etc, etc, blah blah blah.
The most hilarious complaint by School Staff - The limit on the tax hikes would be “PERMANENT”!
One of the more hilarious claims is that if they didn’t opt out then the limits on tax hikes would be “PERMANENT”. They then clutched their pearls and shed their crocodile tears about how irresponsible it would be to allow a “permanent” limit on raising taxes.
The permanent limit on future tax hikes for homeowners WAS THE POINT!
What they also failed to say that if they opted out, this too would be PERMANENT: the continued bad behavior of high taxes, future unjustified massive tax hikes, overspending, bloated administration and further contempt of the voters.
So do be clear, this means that the school system and the majority of the Board are ALWAYS in favor of permanent massive tax hikes but NEVER in favor permanent tax relief.
The voters of Bartow county passed this tax limit with a 69% vote in favor in November 2024.
It is time for the Board to either the will of the people.
If they don’t, in 2026, it will be time to replace as many as possible. Start looking for tax-cutting candidates and let’s start looking how we can do a RECALL ELECTION on any board member that votes to opt out.
In the mean time, please come to the next to public meetings of the Bartow County School Board .
You can stop the Bartow County School Board from opting out…
Come to the BARTOW County School Board Meetings
Demand that they opt in to the state law allowing homestead value to go up no higher than state inflation.
Demand that they NOT adopt a sales tax to increase their revenue (in any case).
Insist that they cut spending, shrink administrative bloat and focus on education only.
Advise that you will will actively supporting a candidate against them when they run again if they choose to opt out of the homestead tax hike limitation.
MEETING TIMES (all at Bartow School System Admin building, 65 Gilreath Road, Cartersville).
Please email tanya.rucker@bartow.k12.ga.us or call 770-606-5800, Ext. 3838 and speaking to Tanya Rucker if you have questions or would like to sign up to speak before the meeting. However, at the first public meeting, it was clarified that people will NOT be required to sign up before a 15 minute deadline. But please sign up before the meeting starts.
Tuesday, January 21, 11:30 am
Monday, January 27, 2025 6 pm
ALSO - please email your School Board members and let them know they should NOT opt out of the Tax hike limit passed by voters and approved by the legislators.
tony.ross@bartow.k12.ga.us; darla.williams@bartow.k12.ga.us; matt.shultz@bartow.k12.ga.us; butch.emerson@bartow.k12.ga.us; sharon.viktora@bartow.k12.ga.us
Come to the BARTOW County School Board Meetings
NOTE - CARTERSVILLE SCHOOL SYSTEMS WILL TRY THE SAME THING - See their meeting times below2.
In Freedom!
For years, this author and many others have regularly shown up at budget meetings to ask for tax relief from the regular 10-20% tax rate hike since at least 2018. However, to see this degree of public representation was rare and quite welcome.
Cartersville School System Public meeting to support “opting out” of the homestead tax hike limitation (Board Room, 15 Nelson St, Cartersville, GA):
1/10/25 11am (will snow, so if they cancel they will be required to move the date)
1/21/25 5 pm
2/3/25 6 pm
Talking points:
Demand that they opt in to the state law allowing homestead value to go up no higher than state inflation.
Demand that they NOT adopt a sales tax to increase their revenue (in any case).
Insist that they cut spending, shrink administrative bloat and focus on education only.
Advise that you will will actively supporting a candidate against them when they run again if they choose to opt out of the homestead tax hike limitation.