AJC: DeKalb: Need to close more than 4 schools
Anyone who has followed this blog for at least a year knows that I was on top of the story in Dekalb County Georiga (the 2nd most wealthy Black majority county in the nation behind Prince Georges County MD). The story that I presented is that the demands made by so many property owners for reappraisals of their homes in the country, thus receiving tax relief will end up having a detrimental impact upon the public schools and their funding. The story above bears out the obvious. An $85M shortfall now that could grow to $114M.
Anyone who has been following this blog for the duration knows that my view of the "perfect storm" is when the "service agent" who is demanding a higher salary is also the "consumer" who is seeking relief from higher cost of living. I typically point to this using the case of the "public transit bus driver's union" interests against the poor and working class transit riders.
The Dekalb County property tax/school funding issue fits within this mold.
Indeed thousands of property owners in Dekalb, feeling economic pressure demanded that the county reappraise their home's value in relation to the loss of value that they had suffered. I reported how the county property tax assessors office had been deluged with these requests.
I also noted who was SILENT!!!! We did not hear from the "Community Activists" or the "Educational Activists" warning the masses of the fatal costs of their demands for tax relief. After all taxes should be progressive in their view - shifted upon the well-to-do and off of the backs of the struggling people.
My problem with this world view is that it flies in the face of the decades long struggle to "take over" Dekalb County and customize it to the linking of the majority population there. In their view they saw such power and control as being vested in the person sitting in the seats of power - per their ability to elect them. The message that was lost along the way is that while Georgia has about 154 counties - these geographic boundaries also delinate the responsibilities that the people have to fund their own affairs as it relates to the legitimate functions of the county.
So frequently we hear those who have a "grievance based" sentiment to their activism discuss in great detail how the proverbial "suburban county" nearby has access to far more funding resoruces than does the "urban" school district that their kids are in. Dekalb County Georgia flies in the face of both of these charges. Not only is it considered a "suburb" of the City of Atlanta, the school system there once was world class (and still is in certain pockets).
To my critics the assumption is that I am highlighting "Black Incompetence". Nothing can be further from the truth. Instead I am merely showing the misalignment and/or the hypocrisy of a certain ideological and economic theory that FRONTS as being "Authentically Black". Instead as it grows in power in its present unchecked form, the "Black Permanent Interests" are assaulted not enhanced. The spirit of transparency and critique, with the goal of insuring that this POPULAR way forward is also an EFFECTIVE way forward is thwarted by those who act as the "attack sheep dogs" - sent out to crush all who dare ask questions. Their goal is not to merely attack the "rogue question asker". Their goal is to do it as publicly as possible to insure that no other "smart guy" within the bunch dare asks questions.
My challenge to this entire movement is simple: WHY did you assume this POWER if your ultimate goal was to OUTSOURCE your obligations to some other entity, higher up in the architecture of government? You could have done just fine as consumers of their services, making sure that these goods were fairly distributed.
The county and/or municipal system has exposed the weaknesses of your strategy. Beyond the pagentry of having the "portrait upon the wall" that brings you pride - tough decisions must be made regarding the limited economic resources within. In addition to making all citizens within this domain as productive as possible - the right balance of taxation and service provisions must be made.
Sadly in the smoke of "progressive taxation" as a drum beat - when those with thick wallets moved out of your taxing district - any "progressive tax cut" upon the "backbone" in the middle or lower classes meant that indeed - "They were supporting a policy that was against their long term best interests".
The rhetoric that seems so clear when made on the national stage (ie: Bush's tax cuts for the rich) seems to fall on deaf ears when done in the confines of a closed system like Dekalb County. Every dollar reduced in property tax collection translates to about $0.50 cents lost to the public schools. Where were the educational activists who came out front to tell of the damage that this strategy would have upon the "Best Interests" of the citizens of Dekalb?
Now that between 4 and 12 schools are on the chopping block the reactionary forces in the "Demand Side Economy" will take to the streets demanding that their childrens' futures be defended from such an assault.
Few will make note that the fatal blow was struck several months ago as they were still doing "Portrait Worship".
0 comments:
Post a Comment