Letter: School tax hike inequitable

St. Augustine Record Letter: School tax hike inequitable
School tax hike inequitable
Posted: October 24, 2015 - 6:40pm

By Ara Klidjian
St. Johns County

School tax hike inequitable

Editorial: An editorial in last Sunday’s edition of the St. Augustine Record highlighted that the proposed 1/2-cent sales tax increase for the school district will raise $106 million for new schools and expansions over 10 years. Almost 75 percent ($78,000,000) will be for three new schools from World Golf Village on north to Nocatee. This area has represented 90 percent of new building permits issued in this fiscal year.

Why aren’t the folks who are moving to the northern sector of the county bearing the $78 million expense? This can be accomplished through a variety of ways, including building moratoriums to bring the rate of growth down, but our county commissioners and school officials either aren’t creative enough or are just unwilling to consider alternatives.

As a resident in the southern region of the county, I am not opposed to bearing my fair share of county-wide progress. But this is so lopsided that it defies reason. Now there is a political action committee that has raised over $100,000 in support of the tax hike. I urge constituents to oppose the PAC’s push. Vote no for the tax increase, stop this ridiculous inequity and force our elected officials to use their ingenuity for an outcome that is more fair.