Decisions that come back around - Librarian

Thirty years ago, I was a graduating college senior heading to one of the toughest graduate journalism programs in the country (at that time).

First, let me say something about that graduate school: ROCK CHALK, JAYHAWK!!!

Okay - back to where I was. Thirty years ago I was heading to KU graduate level J-school. The best. Because as a writer, I wanted to be challenged by the best.

But this young, fresh-behind-the-ears career counselor at my low-level, small, tinyish college said something to me that at the time I did not respect. He said rethink about KU and journalism - you should get a graduate degree in library science.

Library science, really? How would library science further my goals into politics or political writings or effect change in social justice? A librarian - please.

Eight years later - I was an out-of-work, dejected writer looking for a job. Any job.  I landed a support-level job at a college library. And I became an active volunteer in my schools and community.

Fast forward twenty-three years later. I'm back in graduate school. VFL. UTK. Working for that graduate degree in information science. At a much older age - past the prime for advancement in the field.

And if I wanted, I could wallow in the "what ifs" because there are plenty of them. What if thirty years ago? What if I started information science school 15 years earlier?  But I know my life would not be what it is now. I would never give up being a Rock Chalk alum for nothing (double negative, don't care).

So, this story is more about decisions that come back around. Brandishing idealism replaced by living serenely. A decision came back around. This time, the answer was different.

Hamilton County Government With Blinders On

One thing you can say about the county mayor and most of the county commissioners in Hamilton County, Tennessee; they are insistent about no property tax increase.

One can say there is fear - don't want to be ridiculed on a billboard nor face the wrath of election recall by local tea party activists. But it is much deeper than that.

Our county government leaders blindly place all of their eggs into economic growth - growth will give us necessary revenue increases they reason. That's what happened in the late 1920s too; see how that went.

It doesn't matter what the policy is - there are always strengths and weaknesses. And dependent on economic growth, cutting spending and not increasing revenue has weaknesses. Don't let anyone try to fool you that it doesn't. Every policy has pros and cons. 

I don't believe in political cycles either on the local government level. Local government doesn't change on cycles; they respond to the needs of the community. Except for this county government we have now - it only responds to the needs of economic growth; not to the community. I don't think a county government responding to public education needs or to community needs is ever coming back to Hamilton County.

My prediction - there will continue to be a strong resistance to a property tax increase in Hamilton County for a long time. But there will come a time that economic growth doesn't pay the county government bills; and that, would be the worst time to increase property taxes.

Something's got to give

My fellow Rock Chalk Jayhawker, reporter Kevin Hardy of the Chattanooga Times Free Press, wrote a quote from a school principal about the funding of schools in Hamilton County: something's got to give.

That's exactly right.

Something does.

Superintendent Rick Smith was appointed county school superintendent because he was one of Hamilton County's developed educational leaders. And by no means is that a derogatory statement - Tennessee PTA just awarded Smith the Superintendent of the Year award. And justly deserved. We do have highly qualified educational leaders within this county.

But Smith was appointed to be able to overcome that outsider tag that dogged previously appointed school superintendents in Hamilton County. They had to endure that tag each time budgets and school financing came up. Smith would be treated differently so went the reasoning.

Well, that's not happening either.

Despite traveling to all parts of the county holding public meetings and holding school staff meetings, it seems that nothing is going to give as far as increased taxes and school funding. A part of Smith's proposed budget increase - approved by the county school board - is to double the block grants to each school. Do we really expect our schools to operate on the same amount of block grants as in 1998?

Apparently Commissioner Joe Graham, who derisively calls this the Rick Smith Tax Increase, does. And so do other county commissioners who have painted themselves into a corner running as candidates on a no tax increase platform.

As the lame-duck president of the Hamilton County Council of PTAs (I only have 13 days left as of this post), I was pleased that the council's board of managers took a position back in November 2014 to support any budget increase by the school board. It is not the PTA unit's job to raise money for public school operations nor for school staff. That is the government's job plain and simple.

It seems strange to me that the county commissioners and the school board are elected by exactly the same electorates in each district. Yet, an overwhelming majority of school board members supporting a budget increase is meeting resistance from county commissioners representing the same people. How odd.

I wonder what it will take, or what needs to happen, for a majority of county commissioners to support increasing taxes for school funding. Something's got to give.