CCSB Chairman Statement

Today we were informed that one of Citrus County’s largest taxpayers has decided not to pay their full tax bill. In any year, that would cause major problems. Compounding this surprising and disappointing issue is that this action affects the fiscal year that began July 1, 2012.

The taxpayer is Progress Energy/Duke Energy. The Property Appraiser assessed the company’s property and the value resulted in a property tax bill of approximately $35 million. That is approximately 26 percent of the tax base for Citrus County.  On Wednesday, the company paid the Tax Collector approximately $19 million—roughly half of what they owe.  This results in approximately $8 million less for Citrus County Schools.

It has been a rough couple of years for our schools. We have tightened our belt and focused on ensuring that our children get the education they need.  Many things have already been affected by prior budget cuts, including before and after school programs, transportation, staffing and more. We have worked hard and adjusted our prior budgets in order to maintain our education level of service.  But, our budget for this fiscal year was set by July 1, 2012. We worked on it for months—balancing the needs of students and teachers in an already challenged economic climate.

We are naturally very concerned about the impact this will have on our students and teachers and staff. We have scheduled an emergency meeting so that we can gain a better understanding of the potential consequences of this action and the alternatives available to us.

The Emergency Meeting will be held: Friday, November 30, 2012, 2 PM, District Services Center, 1007 West Main Street, Inverness, FL 34450

Virginia Bryant, Chair
Citrus County School Board

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