Paducah Independent Schools Board voted last night approving a tax referendum to fund state mandated pay increases for teachers.
“We can’t expect our superintendent, our administrators, our teachers, our other staff to continue this type of success without offering them the financial support that they need to do so,” Graduation board chairman Carl LeBuhn said.
If approved, real and personal property taxes will rise almost three cents to 80 cents per thousand dollars of assessed value. This will boost revenues to over eight million dollars
Board member Danette Humphrey voted against the referendum. She says Paducah Power System rate increases are a major reason for for her dissent.
“As a teacher, I was thrilled to hear I’d be getting a one percent and then a two percent pay increase. Unfortunately it was unfunded, an unfunded mandate,” she said. “I know the Paducah Board, Power Board is working very hard to make some, you know to reduce our rates but to this point have had very little success. So, for that reason I feel very uncomfortable reaching out to people and asking them to give more.”
Carl LeBuhn, Felix Akojie and Rose Lowery voted in favor of the tax increase while Janice Howard and Danette Humphrey voted against it.
