Mon
Dec 3 2007
03:37:pm
Time to Consolidate?
By: Fairview Angel  shortURL

From The Daily Times Our Voice;

Until the pay for county deputies is brought up to a level comparable to that of officers in the Alcoa and Maryville police departments, such qualified deputies would be hired away as fast as they were trained.

(link...)

Should Blount County teachers, employees, and those contracted with the county be paid the same as Maryville City? Isn't teaching and police work in the city considered an upward move for county workers - not a lateral one?

If they are not, should we not go ahead and consolidate our government?

It's an interesting concept

Submitted by local_yokel on Mon, 12/03/2007 - 16:58.

Interesting, but it'll never happen, FA. You'd muddy the football program if you consolidated the schools, and of course, it is all about the football.

Their asking for it - indirectly

Submitted by Fairview Angel on Mon, 12/03/2007 - 17:15.

I agree it will probably never happen, but if everyone is to be on the same pay scale, why shouldn't it. Since you're a local yokel, I'm assuming you've been in the area a while. Has it been your perspective that working for the city was a step up, ergo the city got to set higher standards? If we pay everyone the same, should the standards not be the same? And if the standards are the same, will the city scale down it's police service or will it have to build a track and buy a mobile command unit?

If you were to try and apply this even handed standard, it would probably only work for the schools, as both systems require a college degree* to teach.

* a real one

More than one issue here

Submitted by local_yokel on Mon, 12/03/2007 - 17:47.

I think the Blount County Sheriff considers himself the Top Cop of the County - actually a level above that of the city Chiefs. Thus your tracks and pricey phones, etc., that his "underlings" don't have to have.

The County Schools are definitely not the Top Cop of all the schools in the county.

I see no way for the County Schools to ever match up to the quality of the city schools, given the additional city taxes they have to work from and the MUCH fewer students/schools they have.

Did I answer your question?

In summery...

Submitted by Fairview Angel on Mon, 12/03/2007 - 18:03.

If a summery of your answer is the Sheriff is using one of his good ol boys (Stone) to once again beg for even more money - yes, I think I get it.

no way for the County Schools to ever match

Submitted by commissionerwalker on Mon, 12/03/2007 - 20:10.

It always has to be remembered that 35% of ever property tax dollar that goes to Blount County schools goes to the city systems also...

Taxed twice

Submitted by Fairview Angel on Tue, 12/04/2007 - 17:37.

City residents are also taxed for both county and city. I guess I'm not following your .... Are you implying county tax dollars collected from city residents should only go to county schools?

Taxed Twice

Submitted by commissionerwalker on Tue, 12/04/2007 - 21:58.

Nope, simply saying that to get a dollar for "County" schools on the county taxes you have to tax $1.35. So for every $1,000,000 that's $1,350,000.

Which translates to a extra 1 and 1/2 cents on the tax rate.

two variable equation

Submitted by Fairview Angel on Wed, 12/05/2007 - 14:44.

So are you saying if county taxes were not going to city schools a dollar would be a dollar? If so, what would it be if the county couldn't count on city taxpayers?

Now there's a good question.....

Submitted by commissionerwalker on Wed, 12/05/2007 - 15:21.

With increases in the County apprasials, which seem to be climbing at a higher rate than the city properties, it soon should be considered about only charging for the schools portion of property tax outside of the City limits. However what this would do is place city resident at having to pay tuition to go to the County system.

A number of years back there was a study that showed that about 55% of the apprasied property in Blount County lay within the City incorporated limits. However this has shifted somewhat over the last few years with the shift in development.

Still don't follow

Submitted by Fairview Angel on Wed, 12/05/2007 - 17:17.

With increases in the County apprasials, which seem to be climbing at a higher rate than the city properties, it soon should be considered about only charging for the schools portion of property tax outside of the City limits.

Would city citizens be able to find out what percentage of their county tax bill goes directly to schools built in the city and only pay for those schools?

However what this would do is place city resident at having to pay tuition to go to the County system.

I know this must happen for sports or discipline, but I've never heard about it being much of a problem. If a parent "has" to move their kid, I'm sure they wouldn't mind paying.

A number of years back there was a study that showed that about 55% of the apprasied property in Blount County lay within the City incorporated limits.

I remember a time when we lived within our means too. Wasn't it nice when we used to refer to Knoxville as going to the city? But I guess we all need Wal-Marts and convention centers.

However this has shifted somewhat over the last few years with the shift in development.

Isn't the majority of that development in the urban growth boundary which will sooner rather than later be the city?

What a leap

Submitted by mello on Mon, 12/03/2007 - 19:24.

Sorry to swing this off on a different direction but, we don't really know who wrote that bit. Going from arrests in Chicago ( which by the way were done under US Attorney Patrick J. Fitzgerald and watch for him to go after the employer for hiring these folks ) to giving the shuriff mo' money to fight illegal immigration in Blount County is one hell of a stretch in thinking especially when it is coupled with the idea that it can't be done because county LEA are paid less than city LEA.

Good golly, talk about spin.

Mea Culpa

Submitted by Fairview Angel on Mon, 12/03/2007 - 20:26.

You're right, I should not have assumed Mr. Stone wrote the piece. There may be other advocates promoting this idea.

The Knoxville/Knox County

Submitted by R. Neal on Mon, 12/03/2007 - 20:04.

The Knoxville/Knox County schools consolidation was an unmitigated disaster. The system may never recover.

I cannot see the county

Submitted by yellowdog on Tue, 12/04/2007 - 15:41.

I cannot see the county commissioners and voters being willing to pay for a really good school system. Too many people have not caught on to (or do not care about) the fact that what was (maybe) good enough for dear old dad and mom is not good enough for success in a globalized world. Even Maryville and Alcoa, being in the top several school systems in Tennessee, are still among the best in one of the worst states. Good football, though, so who really cares?

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