They Call Them No-Show

Knox County leaders say they’ll keep fighting for their fair share of state dollars for schools, even though Governor Phil Bredesen won’t join them

Mayors for Knox, Shelby, Davidson and Hamilton Counties met with Governor Phil Bredesen who said he will not back their push for changes, but he won’t block them either.

Now, Knox County Mayor Mike Ragsdale is going to “plan B.”

“We’re going to work very hard with the members of the State Senate and the members of our Legislature to see if we can’t change this and to see that every student in Tennessee is treated fairly,” Mayor Ragsdale said.

“It’s hard to explain when a child in Williamson County, the 12th richest in the state, receives more of our tax dollars from the state than children in our inner city communities,” he added.

Mayor Ragsdale says Knox County comes in second to last in state funding for schools.

However, Knox taxpayers puts more local money into education than every other county except one.

Last fall, Mayor Ragsdale teamed up with leaders of the state’s other largest counties, also seeking larger returns.

Mayor Ragsdale said they do not want to take money away from any other county. Instead, he said they simply want the state to direct new money now coming in toward the counties receiving the least.

He hopes the plan will gain enough support to pass during this session.

“If it doesn’t work this time, we’re not going to go away,” Mayor Ragsdale said. “We’re going to keep plugging at it. The response we’ve gotten from the General Assembly is very encouraging and we’re going to keep going.”

Bredesen, however, plans on spending $20 million more on Pre-K programs and English language instruction.

Meanwhile, there is talk of cutting foreign language in Knox County’s middle schools, as school board members try to determine what can be funded and what can’t.

“Look at all the money we use for English Language learners,” school board member Karen Carson reacted to Bredesen’s decision. “Shouldn’t we match that with foreign language for our other students? “

The more I think about it, I’m disappointed he’s chosen not to tackle this issue,” she said of Bredesen’s position on Mayor Ragsdale’s proposal to give Knox County schools more money. “I never expect every county to get equal funding. I know there are rural communities that cannot support their schools, they need more funding, but we need more money.”

Once again, school board members will have to piece together the puzzle of how to pay for more students with less money, proportionally, than other counties..

That’s where school board members and the mayor may disagree.

“If it were me and I were looking at it, I’d put my emphasis on outsourcing janitorial services which could save two to three million dollars per year and switching employees over to the Knox County insurance plan, which would save another two to three million dollars a year,” Mayor Ragsdale said.

“While the school system has a tough budget situation, I think they need to work thorugh it and they will,” he added. “And I hope they focus on priorities, and that’s what goes on in the classroom.”

“There are a lot of rumors going around already about cuts,” Carson said. “I’ve already gotten calls this weekend about cutting text books, the music program. We haven’t begun to talk about those things.”