STAFFORD — The Stafford Board of Supervisors could approve a five percent raise for all school system employees, forcing an increase in property taxes.
The School Board presented its proposed budget to the Board of Supervisors on March 20 calling the employee raise which would cost the School Board $1.2 million. The School Board also wants to add another one percent increase for educators with 13 years or more of experience, equating their total raises to six percent.
The Stafford Education Association called for the original five percent raise in November.and are advocating for the county’s real estate tax to be raised to $1.04 per $100 of assessed property value, up from 99 cents per $100 of assessed property value.
“I am willing to pay the extra taxes to raise my pay,” teacher Michelle Wickman said at the public comments section of the Board of Supervisors meeting Tuesday night. “We as a county must do better than what we are currently doing.”
After the SEA asked for the advertised real estate tax to be set at $1.04, the Board of Supervisors amended the request by setting the advertised tax rate to a $1.03 during a 4-3 vote after over 30 educators, parents and students spoke in support of the salary raises and the $1.04 rate.
“Just because we’re setting the advertised rate at $1.03 or $1.04 doesn’t mean we’re going to vote in favor of the rate,” Aquia Board of Supervisor member Cindy Shelton said.
The Board of Supervisors will vote on the advertised real estate tax rate at the April 16 meeting.
“It’s a very difficult decision to raise the advertised tax rate,” Falmouth Board of Supervisor Member Meg Bohmke said.
The county has long experienced a high turnover rate with educators and bus drivers heading north to Prince William and Fairfax counties after receiving a job offers that pay more than Stafford. The current turnover rate for educators in the county is sitting at 15.5 percent.
“If the staff is constantly changing in schools students are going to have a tough time adjusting every year,” Falmouth School Board member Sarah Chase said during the budget presentation.
Last year, among the teachers that left Stafford County 27.5 percent of teachers left for Prince William County while 13.5 percent left for Spotsylvania County and 12 percent left for Fairfax County, according to the School Board’s budget presentation.
“I’ve had to work an additional three jobs during the year to pay my bills,” Tracia Gaddy, a teacher with 23 years of experience, told the Board of Supervisors.
The School Board also requested adjustments to the nursing pay scale, bringing it more in line with teacher pay. Bus drivers who make an hourly wage would also be receiving a five percent increase in their pay.
“We usually see a mass exit of bus drivers at the end of the year because they aren’t getting paid enough,” SEA representative for transportation Terry Wellborn said.
The Board of Supervisors also questioned the five percent raise for school division employees making more than $100,000 a year. For them, Supervisors called for a reduced two-and-a-half percent raise.
“I can’t support the five percent raise for employees making over $100K,” Rockhill Board of Supervisor member Wendy Maurer said.
The Board of Supervisors will adopt the FY 2020 budget at its April 16 meeting.
