In person or online, it’s difficult not to find folks in Cherokee County talking about the ongoing battle of wills between the Board of Commissioners and Board of Education. Thankfully, school’s out for summer, so students can listen to Alice Cooper and move forward, blissfully unaware of the negative politics that surround their campuses.
Last week’s Poll Question in the Cherokee Scout attempted to capture the community’s mood after the commissioners’ May 23 decision to take away the ¼-cent sales tax designated for schools and put that revenue in the general fund. A paltry 3 percent said this was a good decision since the county has budgetary needs, while an overwhelming 97 percent said no, residents voted for this tax because they thought it was going to schools.
At least one county commissioner who was on the board in 2016, when the ¼-cent sales tax was approved, is disappointed in the board’s backtracking. “I agree with the tax sold as a school tax to the public and should remain just that. It’s not right to change this without the public voting on it,” C.B. McKinnon told the Cherokee Scout.
While many people feel like there’s nothing they can do in a situation like this, there are options available. Some have suggested holding a referendum in November canceling the ¼-cent sales tax altogether. Better yet, let’s hold a referendum making the ¼-cent sales tax permanently go to education.
If commissioners won’t call for such a referendum, citizens can gather signatures in order to make it happen. According to the N.C. Board of Elections, it would take 15 percent of the number of Cherokee County voters who cast a ballot in the last gubernatorial election – that was in 2020, when 16,485 local residents voted – in order to bring the referendum to the ballot.
That means about 2,473 verified local voters would have to sign a petition to give the people a chance to cast a ballot on this important issue. The key would be making sure the wording passes legal muster so we don’t find ourselves in this political quagmire again.
Speaking of legal matters, it’s quite surprising that the superintendent of schools and board of education members have not called for an emergency meeting. They have to move Central Office in less than two months and just took what could end up being a $1.2 million budget hit; if that doesn’t constitute a crisis, we’re not sure what would.
Then again, maybe school officials are considering what legal recourses they have to reverse, or at least delay, the latest decisions by commissioners. Changing course last month on a potential hire as Andrews High School principal may also lead to court. Considering the amount of property taxes residents are already paying as a result of past lawsuits, going that route would be right on brand for Cherokee County.
However, regardless of what happens, the students have already lost. First, they lost what would have been $62 million for a new high school – putting them back on aging campuses for at least another decade – and now they’re losing resources that are desperately needed to give them the best education possible.
Shame on every official who has voted without putting students first. Our children deserve so much better.
– Publisher David Brown