Leon County School Superintendent Rocky Hanna is asking the local Children’s Services Council to help cover the cost of an after-school program many families consider invaluable. He’s even suggesting the group consider raising their tax rate. That comes after a federal freeze on funds for the program.
Last week Hanna and the Leon County School Board learned that the district’s budget will be $12.5 million short in the upcoming school year. More than $6 million of that comes from the federal government freeze.
One program that’s affected is 21st Century, which provides after-school academic enrichment and services like drug prevention and financial literacy.
Hanna has asked the Children’s Services Council of Leon County, which gets its money through a special assessment on property, to provide $2 million to keep 21st Century functioning despite the loss of federal dollars.
‘So, if the council decides that we can find a way to fund this $2 million within our existing revenue, then so be it,' Hanna said. 'I think right now we bring in around $9 million. If they are willing to commit $2 million of that to fund these programs that will affect over 1500 kids in all of our Title I elementary schools and middle schools, then so be it.’
Hanna says one option is to raise the Children’s Services Council’s tax assessment, or millage, rate of .3477 -- but there are other options as well.
‘So, I think that’s the big question,' Hanna said. 'Either we live within the $9 million we have now or we increase the millage rate slightly to generate an additional $2 million. Or then the third option, we meet somewhere in the middle.’
The CSC’s governing board will take up the question when it meets Thursday at 4:00 p.m.
