Dear Colleagues:

After several tie votes this morning, the Board of Supervisors set the 2014-15 real estate property tax rate at 79.9 cents per $100 of assessed valuation, representing a decrease of .9 cents from the advertised rate. This reduction from came entirely from money that had been dedicated to the school division under the advertised rate of 80.8 cents per $100 of assessed valuation.

This action by the supervisors nearly doubles the deficit the school division faces in next year’s proposed budget from the advertised rate’s $2.4 million to what is now $3.9 million.

The net impact of the reduction for a home assessed at $200,000 is a tax savings of $18 per year.

The School Board will be addressing this significantly larger deficit in their budget work session this Thursday evening. In several board discussions over the past few months, school board members have characterized an increase in class size or a reduction or elimination of the compensation increase as items of very last resort. Yet, while our Board undoubtedly will make many cuts before they consider these two options, it is not likely a gap of $3.9 million can be closed without considering class size or the compensation increase.

In the face of this disappointing news, I want to express my heartfelt appreciation to each one of you for your efforts during this budget season. The support you provided for education at public hearings and in town hall meetings and in your discussions with parents was beyond extraordinary. Such passion, commitment and performance long have defined your service to our community, and once again, you did not let your students or their families down.

Our School Board has some difficult decisions to make in the next two weeks. I know they will be thoughtful and deliberative in this process, grateful for the contributions of our world class team. Most of all, they will value what you value—the rare privilege we have to change young lives and our community for the better.

Thank you.

Pam