Holt Unwilling to Fund Schools

Sumner County Executive Anthony Holt joined a number of County Commissioners who have said that Sumner County Schools don't need additional funding from the County. This in spite of the fact that County funding of schools as a percentage of total funding has dropped every year for the past 3 years. Additionally, the County has appropriated a portion of the property tax allocation previously dedicated to schools in order to allow a 3% raise for County employees -- a raise not available to school system employees under the current budget scenario.

With growth of about 500 students a year, Sumner County has essentially added an entire high school full of students in just the last two years and has received essentially the same funding from the County during the same time period.

School officials note that such rapid growth must be matched by local funding or it becomes unsustainable.