Sales tax revenue down for county schools

Published 11:34 pm Friday, January 20, 2012

The Crenshaw County Board of Education learned at Tuesday night’s meeting that tax revenue is down from the same time period last year.

“At the end of December, we had $1.6 million cash on hand,” said Chief Financial Officer Ken Wesley. “That gives us 2.4 months of operating reserve.”

Wesley also said that for the month of November, sales tax was down $13,000 from last year and property tax was down $39,000.

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He said that trend continued into December for sales tax, though property tax was up.

“I think we’re going to be about even in property tax, but the sales tax is what concerns me,” Wesley said.

Wesley also pointed out that the school system is ahead of where it was in tax revenue at this point in the 2010 fiscal year.

During the meeting, Superintendent Randy Wilkes gave updated school enrollment statistics.

“We are holding, if not gaining a little since Oct. 3,” Wilkes said.

Not including K4, Brantley’s enrollment has gone from 558 to 559, Luverne’s enrollment has jumped from 860 to 867, and Highland Home has dropped from 743 in October to 741.

A number of “success stories” were also presented at the meeting, including the participation of Mallie Alford in the state Distinguished Young Woman program.

The Luverne High School Therapeutic Services Program (HOSA) was given a 100 percent compliant rating in the Business Industry Certification.

Bob Williams, a teacher at Luverne, is the recipient of a grant to fund the Stock Market Game, which allows students to buy, sell and trade real stocks without investing money.

Five of his classes are participating in the Stock Market Game Program through a scholarship provided by the Alabama Council on Economic Education.

Ashley Catrett has also been invited by the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development to attend an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C.

January is also Board Member Appreciation Month, a representatives from all three schools were on hand to present the board members with a token of their appreciation.

In other business, the board approved the sale of seven surplus buses for $3,200 per bus.