Editor:

As a resident of Baldwin County, I enjoy the exceptional quality of life and unusually low property taxes but I am concerned that our schools are not being funded effectively. In times like these, the school board and county commission must get creative to raise funds in an equitable, non-regressive manner. Education is the most important thing our society can do to improve our future. We do not need to reduce requirements or eliminate meaningful programs to survive this downturn in our economy.

As a suggestion, the county could impose a school tax that would be levied any time a home is purchased. This school tax would be based on the number of bedrooms in the acquired home. The first bedroom would be exempt from the tax, while each additional bedroom would represent 1 percent of the purchase price. For example, a three-bedroom home costing $200,000 would be assessed a school tax of $4,000, which would be payable at closing and could be included in the mortgage. At current interest rates, this represents approximately $14 per month for a 30-year mortgage. Additionally, each time the home is sold the school tax would be levied.

The benefits of this tax are many, as it is similar to an impact fee. This tax would be paid to the county upfront and would provide immediate and sufficient revenue to support the expected growth of our county. Under current taxation, it would take seven or eight years to generate this amount of revenue and a portion of it goes to other counties. It’s equitable in that the people that are buying homes with more bedrooms are generally the ones that have more children. The school tax would be paid by the home buyer over time, and they would enjoy a higher home re-sell value because the schools are more desirable.

This tax would not affect residents who don’t move or downsize to an exempt dwelling. Unlike the current tax and proposed 1 percent sales tax increase on food, medicine and other necessities, it does not have an impact on the lower-income residents of our county. Given our current economic conditions, we can expect the housing market will cycle upward, and our county’s expectation of double-digit population growth will fuel expansive revenue requirements.

In the meantime, the school board should be re-evaluating the K-8 concept: The K-8 concept pulls families into long-term relationships with the school. These long-term relationships result in more volunteerism by parents, which can save the county big money and improve the sense of ownership and responsibility by the students and their families. K-8 reduces the need to have multiple schools with redundant resources in the same neighborhood.

We should continue to expect excellence in education and not settle for second best. Parents, encourage your children to think for themselves, be respectful of others and our planet and always try their best. Our children are our future and for small the investment worth every penny.

Fairhope