It’s Okay to Vote “NO” on a School Millage Election
Millage elections around Arkansas failing as voters demand more accountability
For decades, we have been instilled with a belief that school millage increases should always be approved. It’s for the kids. It’s for education. A vote to give more money to schools is all about giving kids the best in education and opportunities. Who wouldn’t support that? Only the grinchiest of grinches wouldn’t give money to kids.
However, recent years have brought a shift, and a growing awareness that the marketing message might be hiding a different motive for the money. People are waking up and starting to question the validity of these claims, to question the quality of the education, and to question the fiscal management of school administration. They realize their support of both education and kids has been used to emotionally manipulate them into blindly approving more and more money for school administrators, only to see a steady decline in academic proficiency, student achievement, and growing dissatisfaction among teachers. And the problem is not with teachers – it’s administrators and boards – those who are responsible for the financial oversight.
Schools are not on a fixed income. Their revenue increases right along with the rate of inflation, rate of sales tax, higher property values, and new construction. Their revenue is based on “rates” not a dollar amount, so it grows as the cost of everything grows. As we pay more in taxes, they make more money. Schools seek millage increases for buildings, because they know the public will likely not support more money for operations. They shroud the request as a special project, a special need, instead of day-to-day expenses. When schools make this request to fund special projects, they often over-estimate the cost, knowing it will bring them excess revenue to spend on operations.
Communities around the state and the country are putting their school board and administrators on notice. Schools are being held to a higher standard of accountability and scrutiny than ever before. In the last two to three years, multiple area schools have had failed millage elections, some with more than one failed millage on the same project.
Here are examples of some recently failed millage elections.
BALD KNOB
Bald Knob School District held a millage election on August 9, 2022, the same day as Mountain Home’s failed millage. Their millage failed with a vote of 78.3% against and 21.7% in favor. Their request was to build a new elementary school. Here is a link to a news article on their failed millage.
BATESVILLE
Batesville School District held a millage election in September of 2021. Their millage failed with 65% of voters against and 35% voting in favor. Their request was to perform renovations, build new classrooms, and other upgrades. News articles regarding this failed millage can be viewed here and here.
HIGHLAND
Highland School District voters soundly rejected two millage elections within a three-month period in the school district’s bid for a new high school. In November 2022, 65% of voters rejected the millage. The school district moved ahead with a second millage election in February 2023, which failed again with 70% of voters against the increase. News articles regarding this failed millage can be viewed here, here, and here.
POCAHONTAS
Pocahontas is another school district with two failed millages within the last couple of years. Their first millage election failed in September 2020, with 51% of voters against the measure. The millage increase was presented to voters a second time in September of 2021, where it failed again with 53% of voters rejecting the measure. News articles regarding these failed millages can be viewed here, here, here, and here.
MOUNTAIN HOME
Mountain Home School District held a millage election in August 2022. The millage failed by a small margin in the special election. The Mountain Home School District has a second millage election scheduled for May 9, 2023, for the same project that was rejected last August but with a higher price tag.
MOUNTAIN VIEW
Mountain View School District had a failed millage in May of 2021, with 53% of voters rejecting the increase. This millage increase was to fund operations and the building fund. A news article about this millage failure can be viewed here.
POTTSVILLE
Pottsville School District held a millage in August 2022 to fund a new high school. The millage failed with 74% of voters rejecting the measure. A news article about this millage failure can be viewed here.
Why did these school millages fail? It’s likely for a variety of reasons. It could be the emerging pattern of voters demanding greater fiscal accountability from public-school officials. Taxpayers wanting better stewardship of their money and expecting school districts to tighten their purse strings along with the rest of us, and adjust to the tough economic times with high inflation and a record-setting tax burden. Maybe it was the decline in student proficiency. Perhaps it was a growing push-back against special elections that sneak through measures which favor a select group to the detriment of the broader population. Maybe there were concerns regarding the specific project or community needs. And maybe there is a loss of trust and confidence in local elected officials and their level of oversight and a need for change from the status quo.
The change in public sentiment has also brought a change in the messaging from schools seeking more money. People who are concerned about the fiscal affairs and the quality of education are suddenly being portrayed by schools as an enemy of kids. Rather than collegially debating the issues and facts, school administrators and boards are turning to ad hominem arguments and deflection from valid issues. They are refusing to engage in public discussion or respond to questions from the community. Rather than a sincere search for solutions, they are playing a game of public shaming and pushing guilt as a type of psychological operation on the public.
Please don’t let them do that to you. Please know there is nothing wrong with you if you have concerns about the economic implications for your family, or our community. Please know you’re not alone if you see their tactics, their straw-man arguments and personal attacks. This is where they are right now. Their reign over this fiefdom, their control over our children, over our communities, over our pocketbooks is starting to crumble, and they are flailing in their last desperate attempts to save their fading legacy.
It’s okay to vote “No” in the millage election. It’s okay to force this school board to revisit the core issues with the building, consider other options, and present a plan that is reasonable and addresses the real issues. It’s okay to demand an open and honest conversation about needs versus wants. It’s also okay to expect civility and respect.
It’s okay to demand better.