THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, June 7, 1995 TAG: 9506070451
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY PAUL SOUTH, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: MANTEO LENGTH: Medium: 58 lines
The second of three public hearings on the proposed Dare County budget produced about the same script as the first session two weeks ago in Buxton:
Yes to a tax increase. No to a merit pay plan for teachers.
The proposed education portion of the budget provides for $750,000 annually for technology in each of the next four years. County officials say a 3-cent property tax increase is necessary to pay for schools. If approved, real property taxes in Dare County would increase from 37 cents to 40 cents per $100 in property value. The owner of a $100,000 home would pay an additional $30 in taxes under the proposal.
Parents and teachers spoke out in support of the new funding for technology.
``We have never minded paying taxes when it comes to education,'' said Marjorie Tromba of Wanchese. ``We need these dollars to give our children the tools they need for the future. And every member of the the school staff deserves a living working wage.''
Caroline Pierce, a teacher at Manteo High School, said county teachers and support staff deserve an increase in salary, and urged the commission to rethink the merit proposal.
``We already merit an increase,'' Pierce said. ``We work hard. We work long. We deserve it.''
Under the proposal, the merit plan would take effect in the 1996-97 school year, and would be based on employee performance during the 1995-96 school year. A total of $240,000 is budgeted for the plan.
``It's as if we were part of a big corporation and had done well one year, and the leaders of the company had a big reception with finger foods, and told us we did a great job. But then they said we had to work a little harder for another year to get a pay increase,'' Pierce said.
At least one parent said the merit proposal would severely damage a successful system.
Cynthia Fields of Manteo praised the positive impact the system's teachers have had on her daughter, a Manteo High student.
``As a parent, I would not like for you to be a part of something that would destroy what we have,'' she said.
Despite apparent overwhelming opposition to the merit plan, Board of Commissioners Chairman Robert V. ``Bobby'' Owens Jr. said the merit proposal is a progressive approach to making schools better. However, he cautioned that the key to the success of the proposal would be clarifying who would decide the criteria for merit pay hikes.
``We have to make sure that this system isn't going to be based on a `good 'ol boy' system or anything like that,'' he said.
The board of commissioners will hold a third public hearing Monday night at 7 at the Thomas A. Baum Center. A final vote on the budget is expected at the board's regular June 19 meeting. by CNB