LETTERS: STEVE MOSLEY EXPLAINS SCHOOL FUNDS

To the editor:

Lately, the Southeast Missourian has published informative articles and letters to the editor concerning local public school finance. Before we have an all-inclusive, full-fledged public debate as to how best address looming school money shortages, we need to better understand the things that determine the amount of money a public school district receives.

I have studied this matter for 30 years and will try to explain it in easy-to-understand terms. I strongly believe in the dictum: Simplify, simplify, simplify.

For starters, citizens need to know that some money comes to schools from property-tax revenue. However, the amount of money that a school district takes in from property taxes is affected by what is known as the Proposition C rollback. It is very important to understand that a Proposition C rollback means taxpayers who want to pay lower property taxes must propose (proposition) that they can do X number of backward somersaults (rollbacks) and allow the property-tax collector to see (C) them do it. So if your are no limber you will likely pay more school property taxes.

Some public school money comes from the state government. This money is distributed to schools through what is called the school foundation formula. The amount of money received differs from district to district.

The most important thing to remember about the foundation formula is that if a school district is not on a firm foundation, it will not receive as much money as schools that are on firmer foundations. As a result, public school districts in this area are penalized (unfairly, I think) because they are located in a less-than-firm-foundation region, meaning, of course, an earthquake zone.

The only other thing one needs to understand about how we pay for public schools is the so-called hold-harmless provision. The hold-harmless provision simply means that if a school's wrestling team does well, the school will receive more money. However, having a good won-lost wrestling team record doesn't necessarily mean the wrestling team has done well, according to those who distribute state money to schools. Rather, it means that schools are rewarded financially only if members of the wrestling team put a lot of successful holds on their opponents, but not hold that hurt anyone. Obviously, these are known as harmless holds. Thus, the so-called hold-harmless provision.

That should do it. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to share my school-finance expertise with you. As a brief summary of the information I have provided, I offer the following poem. Please memorize it so that you can be well prepared to participate in this crucial issue.

If you are out of shape you will see

Rising school tax on your property.

If there's a lessened earthquake threat,

More school money we'll likely get.

School wrestlers can help us get the gold

By using their cagey harmless holds.

STEVE MOSLEY

Cape Girardeau