Sullivan, School Board, and Sales Tax

Sullivan, School Board, and Sales Tax

From Supervisor Rod Sullivan's weekly email newsletter "Sullivan's Salvos":

I was extremely disheartened to read the op-eds by Board candidates Jan Leff & Tim Krumm. In her piece, Ms. Leff says that one of the uses for a one-cent Local Option Sales Tax would be "property tax relief."

If the ICCSD really needs the money this tax will generate to fulfill unmet needs, that is one thing. But to shift the funding of our schools from property taxes (paid by those who have greater resources) to a sales tax (paid in greater percentages by those who have less) is unconscionable.

Mr. Krumm talks about "being sensitive to the needs of at-risk students." Statistics show that at-risk students are overwhelmingly poor students. How is making these poor students pay more being sensitive? Actions speak louder than words.

Using sales tax revenue to reduce property taxes is a conscientious effort to move the burden of paying for schools from the rich to the poor. I find this to be immoral, and I think we should be ashamed. Candidates who claim to be advocates for people in need should take a hard look at the policies they promote.

We also need to end our hypocrisy. The same people who gush about their commitment to United Way will likely vote to tax the poor for the cost of schools. No charitable giving will make up for the amount of hardship a sales tax will cause.