FAST FACTS:
( Memphis 1/14/2010) The fields of battle are about two blocks apart.
But since Memphis City Council Chairman Harold Collins says he doesn't like calling it a battle...then let's call it the fields of discussion. Memphis City Hall is where it all began. It was during budget talks in 2008 where City Council members were trying to find a way to cut property taxes. They were told that they could legally cut their funding to Memphis City Schools, because the only people who couldn't do that was Shelby County. So they did. And the battle..uh...discussions began.
"We still plan on coming up with more money for the Memphis City Schools this year," Chairman Collins says. "But the courts have not answered the question. We think that Shelby County government is still the prime agency for funding schools. They can't cut spending below last year levels. But Memphis has just been adding extra money for years...and can cut funds."
In a nutshell, that's the battle. It's gone from Chancery Court in Memphis to the Court of Appeals...who took a long time before rendering a decision. There's one place left for the case to go. The Tennessee State Supreme Court. "It's cost us money fighting this issue," Collins said, "...but I still think it is in the best interest of our citizens that we keep fighting to get a definitive answer."
Collins says that if the city does have to come up with the more than $50-million dollars for Memphis City Schools, it could mean a property tax increase of 50 cents. "Nobody wants to see that happen,"Collins said.
- School system says city owes them $50-million dollars.
- Fight has been going on since Summer of 2008
- Last place for case to go is now Tennessee Supreme Court
( Memphis 1/14/2010) The fields of battle are about two blocks apart.
But since Memphis City Council Chairman Harold Collins says he doesn't like calling it a battle...then let's call it the fields of discussion. Memphis City Hall is where it all began. It was during budget talks in 2008 where City Council members were trying to find a way to cut property taxes. They were told that they could legally cut their funding to Memphis City Schools, because the only people who couldn't do that was Shelby County. So they did. And the battle..uh...discussions began.
"We still plan on coming up with more money for the Memphis City Schools this year," Chairman Collins says. "But the courts have not answered the question. We think that Shelby County government is still the prime agency for funding schools. They can't cut spending below last year levels. But Memphis has just been adding extra money for years...and can cut funds."
In a nutshell, that's the battle. It's gone from Chancery Court in Memphis to the Court of Appeals...who took a long time before rendering a decision. There's one place left for the case to go. The Tennessee State Supreme Court. "It's cost us money fighting this issue," Collins said, "...but I still think it is in the best interest of our citizens that we keep fighting to get a definitive answer."
Collins says that if the city does have to come up with the more than $50-million dollars for Memphis City Schools, it could mean a property tax increase of 50 cents. "Nobody wants to see that happen,"Collins said.
