Their alternative number 1. County schools should operate in two shifts. This one is almost so absurd, it's not even worth a discussion. The idea is, an eight hour early shift and an eight hour evening shift. Those of you with children in school, those of us who have had children in school, can all identify how impossible this would be on many levels. So, we'll move on from this.

Alternative number 2. Kick all city kids out of the county schools. This argument does have some logistical reality. It's estimated that there are 400 plus city kids in the county schools. The argument of those who propose this plan claim that city property owners don't pay property tax for county school buildings. This is partially correct. Under state law, city property owners do not pay the portion of county property taxes that go to county school debt. This is because Lenoir City has their own school system. So, of the county $1.77 property tax, city property owners only pay $1.39. While city property owners pay 38 cents less on their property taxes, city property owners, do in fact pay, still pay 73 cents for the operation and maintenance of county schools.   

So for the benefit of Lenoir City councilman, Eddie Simpson, and other city officials who still don't understand, Lenoir City property owners do not pay the 25 cent property tax increase. In fact, before the increase, city property owners were already paying 13 cents less than county property owners. That's just how the law works. It's safe to say, if the Lenoir City school system had to suddenly absorb 400 plus kids, they would be in a bad spot.

I know this is a lot of confusing numbers and it's kind of hard to follow. There are multiple legal opinions that give varying opinions on whether the county has to take city students. But regardless of whether it's legal or illegal to kick out the city kids, the bottom line is, the county school board is not going to kick the Lenoir City students out of county schools.

The Loudon County Board of Education has taken a bold step to resolve education issues on the North end of the county for decades rather than spending millions of dollars for band aids and short term fixes. Loudon County's population has exploded due to the incompetent zoning policies of Lenoir City and and Loudon. It doesn't appear they plan to make any changes to these policies any time soon. And to that tiny little number of villagers and others who are so obsessed with not wanting to pay for the education of county and city kids, we get it. You don't have kids in school and don't think you should have to pay for education. Fortunately, that's not how it works. Someone who didn't have kids in school had to pay for mine and yours education. Someone who didn't have kids in school had to pay for yours and my kids education. Now you and most of us, who have no kids in school, are paying for those who do have kids in school's education. This is just the reality of of life. 

We should all be glad that we live in a county with one of the lowest property tax rates in the state. a low cost of living and a high quality of life.