Metro Districts Struggle How to Raise Money

the Oregonian
With some local levies expiring soon, metro districts struggle how to raise money beyond what the Legislature provides.

On Friday, former Portland Public Schools Superintendent Jim Scherzinger sent a memo to school districts in three counties, outlining possible tax rates and their effects.

The discussions, while preliminary, are getting mixed reactions. Some suburban school districts are not sure that voters across Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas Counties will approve and other tax. you're not sure? After all the times voters keep telling you no, you're not sure?

But with Multnomah County's income tax running out next year, along with some local-option property taxes in surrounding counties, school districts across the region are struggling to find ways to raise dollars beyond what the Legislature provides. it was a temporary tax designed to temporarily help support the district

The effort, led by Portland Mayor Tom Potter's staff, includes a group of officials from 17 school districts who have been meeting for several months.

"Everyone regionally who's been at the table is still at the table," said Nancy Hamilton, Potter's chief of staff. "I think that's a good sign."

The goal is to bring the discussion of school funding back to state lawmakers, Hamilton said.

"If we can stay together on this regionally, if we can stay together on this strategically, it'll be easier to build a statewide discussion later," she said. that just sounds stupid. It is not like you're trying to do that union negotiation

Depending on the rate, the tax could raise roughly between $52 million and $125 million a year, based on 2003 tax data. which means that their information is more than two years old if you include the time that I took to collect the data. In the meantime, a lot more people are out of work, more businesses have left the area and things just generally cost more now, e.g. gas prices.

Although city and school district officials agree on the need to find local revenue to bolster school budgets, not all agree on how a regional income tax would affect districts or how one should be collected or distributed.

Portland Public Schools, hit the hardest by budget cuts and declining enrollment, an argument for giving them more money? lost $35 million in revenue, mostly from the expiration of a local-option property tax. With the Multnomah County income tax running out, the district will face an additional $50 million hole next year.

In July, lawmakers in Salem approved $5.24 billion in state aid for schools the next two years. The funding package is more than anticipated but won't restore teachers and programs eliminated in recent years.

explain this one to me... if the funding package is more than anticipated, then why do they need more money?