| Seems like about every year at this time, Lenoir City
mayor, Tony Aikens, gets a bee in his bonnet about the Adequate Schools
Facility Tax, ASFT. It always seems that the issue is brought up by a
"concerned citizen" but no names are ever mentioned. This year the
"concerned citizen" allegedly went to Lenoir City director of schools
who then went to Aikens, who then brought it before the city council.
According to that "concerned citizen", the county commission had the
sentiment, need, want, or desire to cut the ASFT money from the city
school system. Problem is, there's no truth to it.
To be fair, I have never personally understood why
Lenoir City schools gets any of the county schools ASFT money at all.
Unfortunately they do, and have since 2007. I for one would cut it off
tomorrow. The county schools need that money far more than the city
schools. Since 2007, the county has donated over 2.5 million dollars to
the city school system. Unfortunately for the county schools, there has
been no attempt by the commission to redirect this money to the county
schools since 2021. The city get's 12.5% of all the ASFT.
At the last city council meeting, there was a very
long discussion about the ASFT by several people who had no clue what
they were talking about. Let me explain the ASFT for them.
The ASFT was implemented by county commission in
January of 2007. This is the $1.00 per square foot tax charged on all
new residential construction. And by law, that tax can not be any
higher. This money can only be used by the school system for
maintenance, construction or debt service for schools. Since
implementation in 2007, the ASFT has brought in about 17 million for the
county and about 2.5 million for the city schools. The county school
system has used the revenue for maintenance, construction or debt
service. It is unknown what the city schools used their revenue for. The
choice to share any or how much of the revenue with the city school
system is entirely up to county commission.
So Aikens can cool his jets, no one is trying to cut
the city schools ASFT, yet.
Below is a letter Aikens sent to commissioners and my
reply to that letter.
Amber,
I appreciate the mayor's timely, yet
very misguided letter on the AFT
distribution. There has been no
recommendation by the county budget
committee nor the commission as a
whole to make any change to the
current AFT distribution. Not sure
where the concerns came from. I have
advocated to eliminate all AFT
payments to the Lenoir City schools
and give the entire amount to Loudon
County schools for many years and I
would still support that move at any
time. But to my knowledge, I have
been the only commissioner to
advocate on behalf of the county
schools for the full AFT funding to
go to them.
But allow me to make
one correction. The elimination of
the AFT to Lenoir City schools would
actually be around a $250,000.00
loss to the city schools per year.
However, it would be an increase to
the Loudon County schools of around
a $250,000.00 per year. And if I
remember correctly, the county
educates about as many city students
as the city educates county
students.
I know some in your group has been
researching the particulars of the
passage of the AFT and such should
know that the distribution of the
AFT is entirely at the discretion of
the county commission. So to
threaten litigation over the matter
is silly talk on the mayor's part.
Obviously, the county does not shy
away from litigation when left no
options.
As to the "shenanigans" the mayor
mentions, the lawsuit between the
county and city are 100% the fault
of the mayor and council's actions
in two illegal annexations. The
lawsuit could have been avoided all
together if the mayor and council
had corrected their illegal actions
when they were made aware of it back
in 2022. Unfortunately, they left
the county no options. Both illegal
annexations could be resolved at the
next Lenoir City council meeting
with a simple vote of the council to
rescind the votes they made on those
two parcels. Mayor Tony Aikens
bears the full responsibility for
the lawsuit.
Speaking strictly for myself, I
would love to see the county and
Lenoir City be able to work together
in every way. Unfortunately as long
as city officials, led by their
mayor, continue to violate state
laws, refuse to pay their bills and
give away county tax dollars to
special interests, it makes it hard
to have any kind of trusting
relationship with the city.
Maybe someday though.
Van
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