Mecklenburg County Sales and Use tax hike

[ARSEN 12,110]

So I just saw a commercial on TV encouraging to support tax hike to help education and increase teachers pay but when I dug in, I realized only 16% of total tax hike will go toward teachers pay and education.  Most of the moneys will go toward art/culture & parks/greenways.  The commercial was pretty misleading considering that this 16% will do bare minimum for teachers or education but an effort to help local government support museums and parks.  They threw in 16% to get voters on their side.  I won’t be surprise if none of the 16% will go to teachers.

What say you?  This tax hike seems fishy as fug to me.  It’s about $50M a year in tax.

[bull123 3,337]

How high can taxes go?....meck county commission never seen a tax they don’t like

got to wonder why private donations for arts have declined 

[ARSEN 12,110]

24 minutes ago, bull123 said:

How high can taxes go?....meck county commission never seen a tax they don’t like

got to wonder why private donations for arts have declined 

Not sure but I’m also not sure if tax payers should be the ones covering the expenses? 

[PanthersBigD 3,487]

Don't know where you're 'digging in' but you're wrong. The 16% figure you quoted is only for additional supporting roles like psychologists and teaching assistants. 45% goes to restore/augment arts, science and history education. Something that's been sorely lacking as they've hacked away at it for the last 30 or so years. So 61% goes toward education in Mecklenburg County. Of course we should be the ones covering the expense. Who the fug else would do it?! You have three kids, I have none. You're way more of a resource burden on our city than my family is. If anyone should be bitching about higher taxes it should be me, but I see the value in educated children and more places for them to enjoy the outdoors, even for those that aren't mine. You should too. 

 

The revenue garnered through this proposed quarter-cent increase in the sales tax (approximately $50 million per year) will be invested in Mecklenburg County in four ways:

45% ($22.5 million) to restore and expand arts, science and history education in public schools, enable cultural programs that reach deep into neighborhoods and ensure residents have access to arts and culture regardless of where they live or what they can afford
34% ($17 million) in increased funding for our parks and greenways to revitalize our system, which was ranked near the bottom of a recent national study of metropolitan parks systems
16% ($8 million) for increased teacher supplements and additional classroom support, such as psychologists and teacher assistants
5% ($2.5 million) for arts and culture programs and parks in Cornelius, Davidson, Huntersville, Matthews, Mint Hill and Pineville.
For each of us, the increase amounts to five cents for every $20 we spend, and it excludes groceries, gas and prescription medicine. I believe this is a small investment relative to the benefits our community will reap in educational experiences for all our citizens.

[cookinwithgas 10,617]

Sick of people moving here from NY and Pittsburgh for lower taxes and housing prices then bitching about the terrible schools.

My wife went back to work last year as a school secretary and the money thing is really the problem, kids are little freaking monsters these days and teachers are not paid enough to babysit them while their parents work all the time to get that BMW that they drive up to the school in and complain about how their childs needs are not being met. Schools need to provide more after school activities to keep kids engaged socially and off their phones, not every family can afford dance classes or hockey leagues or provide transportation to them on a regular schedule. This tax is badly needed.

[ARSEN 12,110]

57 minutes ago, PanthersBigD said:

Don't know where you're 'digging in' but you're wrong. The 16% figure you quoted is only for additional supporting roles like psychologists and teaching assistants. 45% goes to restore/augment arts, science and history education. Something that's been sorely lacking as they've hacked away at it for the last 30 or so years. So 61% goes toward education in Mecklenburg County. Of course we should be the ones covering the expense. Who the fug else would do it?! You have three kids, I have none. You're way more of a resource burden on our city than my family is. If anyone should be bitching about higher taxes it should be me, but I see the value in educated children and more places for them to enjoy the outdoors, even for those that aren't mine. You should too. 

 

The revenue garnered through this proposed quarter-cent increase in the sales tax (approximately $50 million per year) will be invested in Mecklenburg County in four ways:

45% ($22.5 million) to restore and expand arts, science and history education in public schools, enable cultural programs that reach deep into neighborhoods and ensure residents have access to arts and culture regardless of where they live or what they can afford
34% ($17 million) in increased funding for our parks and greenways to revitalize our system, which was ranked near the bottom of a recent national study of metropolitan parks systems
16% ($8 million) for increased teacher supplements and additional classroom support, such as psychologists and teacher assistants
5% ($2.5 million) for arts and culture programs and parks in Cornelius, Davidson, Huntersville, Matthews, Mint Hill and Pineville.
For each of us, the increase amounts to five cents for every $20 we spend, and it excludes groceries, gas and prescription medicine. I believe this is a small investment relative to the benefits our community will reap in educational experiences for all our citizens.

I need to find an article but it stated 45% was not for school related items but to help Mecklenburg county with grants for art museums and etc as public donations dropped.  

here’s another article says only 16% for education

https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/politics-government/article236247508.html

 

Here’s another: https://www.wsoctv.com/news/local/campaigns-ramp-up-rhetoric-ahead-of-vote-on-mecklenburg-county-sales-tax-hike/992321851

ASC pitched the tax as a way to stabilize its funding to distribute grants to arts and cultural groups, citing a steady decline in donations. Commissioners eventually agreed to put the matter before voters as part of a quarter-cent increase that would be divided between arts and culture (45%), parks and greenways (34%), education (16%) and the adjacent towns (5%) outside of Charlotte but within the county.

Edited October 18 by ARSEN

[ARSEN 12,110]

48 minutes ago, cookinwithgas said:

Sick of people moving here from NY and Pittsburgh for lower taxes and housing prices then bitching about the terrible schools.

My wife went back to work last year as a school secretary and the money thing is really the problem, kids are little freaking monsters these days and teachers are not paid enough to babysit them while their parents work all the time to get that BMW that they drive up to the school in and complain about how their childs needs are not being met. Schools need to provide more after school activities to keep kids engaged socially and off their phones, not every family can afford dance classes or hockey leagues or provide transportation to them on a regular schedule. This tax is badly needed.

You are missing the point.  I’m actually upset they only allocating 16% to education.  It’s bullshit.

[PanthersBigD 3,487]

14 minutes ago, ARSEN said:

I need to find an article but it stated 45% was not for school related items but to help Mecklenburg county with grants for museums.  

here’s another article says only 16% for education

https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/politics-government/article236247508.html

I can't see behind their paywall, and I already subscribe to too many other online periodicals to add the CO. Post the excerpt you're referring to. My post came straight from the Discovery Place. Sounds like you're getting bad/skewed info from whoever wrote that article. 

Besides, museums are for education. What the hell do you think the purpose of the Discovery Place and the Nature Museum are?

[ARSEN 12,110]

15 minutes ago, PanthersBigD said:

I can't see behind their paywall, and I already subscribe to too many other online periodicals to add the CO. Post the excerpt you're referring to. My post came straight from the Discovery Place. Sounds like you're getting bad/skewed info from whoever wrote that article. 

Besides, museums are for education. What the hell do you think the purpose of the Discovery Place and the Nature Museum are?

Sounds like they have a cash flow issues.  Instead of rewarding drop in revenue, I think they should assess why crowds are turning away.  And even thought discovery place and art museum are educational they are not on the same level as schools and teachers.  Kids can survive without art museum and discovery place, they cannot make it in life without good quality teachers and school supplies.  I’m very disappointed with 16%.

Edited October 18 by ARSEN

[Anybodyhome 6,448]

1 hour ago, ARSEN said:

Sounds like they have a cash flow issues.  Instead of rewarding drop in revenue, I think they should assess why crowds are turning away.

Disposable income. Most folks who take their kids to these places are part of a middle class who's wages have been stagnant for so long, it's becoming increasingly difficult to afford life.

The tax break? Any of that a middle class family might have saved was gone within a couple of weeks after Trump pulled out of TPP and started a trade war with China.

Gas prices? Up $.40/gal since January.

Consumer Price Index? Up 2.4% over last 12 months.

Food inflation? Up 1.8% this year so far.

 

[d-dave 2,765]

1 hour ago, ARSEN said:

Sounds like they have a cash flow issues.  Instead of rewarding drop in revenue, I think they should assess why crowds are turning away.  And even thought discovery place and art museum are educational they are not on the same level as schools and teachers.  Kids can survive without art museum and discovery place, they cannot make it in life without good quality teachers and school supplies.  I’m very disappointed with 16%.

I would disagree, I think museums, children's museums, and other non classroom educational experiences are incredibly important supplements to a regular education.  The main issue that places like Discovery Place have is the operation costs.  Getting those exhibits in is expensive, but it sure does drive people through the door.  My family has a membership which has paid for itself several times over, but not everyone will do that.  Door prices aren't cheap.  Downtown parking is a nightmare (the DP deck does fill up).  The regular museum can't be updated as much as needed to keep giving people a reason to go.

To me, places like Discovery Place, or the Mint Museum or other cultural experiences, are vital to Charlotte in general.  How often has the refrain "there's nothing to do in this town" been said about Charlotte?  The community has to invest in order to keep things moving in a community.  Culture shouldn't be profit driven.  

I do agree that CMS needs MORE.  Sure, the new schools out in the suburbs looks and seem great.  The older school don't.  Sometimes, communities step in and help to fill in the gaps, but that doesn't happen for all schools.  There are TONS of elementary and middle schools that need significant work to be more conductive to helping those young minds learn and develop.  Instead, they are dull, dirty schools with more duct tape holding them together each year.  Then again, the republicans in NC have been more concerned with destroying what exists than doing anything to fix them.

[ARSEN 12,110]

13 minutes ago, d-dave said:

I would disagree, I think museums, children's museums, and other non classroom educational experiences are incredibly important supplements to a regular education.  The main issue that places like Discovery Place have is the operation costs.  Getting those exhibits in is expensive, but it sure does drive people through the door.  My family has a membership which has paid for itself several times over, but not everyone will do that.  Door prices aren't cheap.  Downtown parking is a nightmare (the DP deck does fill up).  The regular museum can't be updated as much as needed to keep giving people a reason to go.

To me, places like Discovery Place, or the Mint Museum or other cultural experiences, are vital to Charlotte in general.  How often has the refrain "there's nothing to do in this town" been said about Charlotte?  The community has to invest in order to keep things moving in a community.  Culture shouldn't be profit driven.  

I do agree that CMS needs MORE.  Sure, the new schools out in the suburbs looks and seem great.  The older school don't.  Sometimes, communities step in and help to fill in the gaps, but that doesn't happen for all schools.  There are TONS of elementary and middle schools that need significant work to be more conductive to helping those young minds learn and develop.  Instead, they are dull, dirty schools with more duct tape holding them together each year.  Then again, the republicans in NC have been more concerned with destroying what exists than doing anything to fix them.

Museums and things like discovery place are becoming obsolete because you can learn that stuff from the comfort of the couch.  No point to go in person.

[PanthersBigD 3,487]

31 minutes ago, ARSEN said:

Museums and things like discovery place are becoming obsolete because you can learn that stuff from the comfort of the couch.  No point to go in person.

That's an incredibly ignorant way to approach teaching kids and life in general. 

It seems like you don't really understand where money comes from. Teachers are state employees, not municipal employees. Their funding comes from the state budget and is only supplemented by city/county funding.

The dumb, greedy hicks in the Republican controlled legislature in Raleigh share your view, and they've been doing everything they can not only to cut funding for arts and sciences, but also to limit teacher pay. We're still in the bottom half of the country in teacher pay. If you're really concerned about getting teachers more money, and investing in education, you'll vote those shitheads out. 

[ARSEN 12,110]

12 minutes ago, PanthersBigD said:

That's an incredibly ignorant way to approach teaching kids and life in general. 

It seems like you don't really understand where money comes from. Teachers are state employees, not municipal employees. Their funding comes from the state budget and is only supplemented by city/county funding.

The dumb, greedy hicks in the Republican controlled legislature in Raleigh share your view, and they've been doing everything they can not only to cut funding for arts and sciences, but also to limit teacher pay. We're still in the bottom half of the country in teacher pay. If you're really concerned about getting teachers more money, and investing in education, you'll vote those shitheads out. 
 

I do not care for those things and it has literally nothing to do with politics.  You trying to tie art museums to politics is just nuts...  Do I enjoy history and culture?  Sure.  I watch a ton of shows but I do not care seeing it in person.

[PanthersBigD 3,487]

1 minute ago, ARSEN said:

I do not care for those things and it has literally nothing to do with politics.  You trying to tie art museums to politics is just nuts...  Do I enjoy history and culture?  Sure.  I watch a ton of shows but I do not care seeing it in person.

Of course it has to do with politics. Who do you think controls the funding? Stop playing dumb. At least I hope you're playing.