By Chris Taylor
Clarksville, TN – The Montgomery County School Board plans to request a 28-cent property tax increase after cutting nearly $9.5 million from the schools current budget. The tax increase would help restore some of those cuts, which come after about 5 million dollars in cuts 3 years ago. Director of Schools Mike Harris tells the Clarksville Leaf Chronicle the need to cut the school's $16.5 million dollar operating budget comes after years of no incremental tax increases. Harris points to an insufficient tax base, along with a 41% increase in retirement and 47% increase in health insurance rates causing the budget disparity.