Millage Increase Denied

The pitch by Richland 2 school district for a milllage increase to the cap was denied by Richland County Council on Tuesday, June 7, 2022.

Remember that four trustees vote FOR it - Holmes, McKie, Manning, Caution-Parker.

Remember that three trustees voted AGAINST it - Agostini, Scott and McFadden.

And a lot of taxpayers spoke up and asked the County Council to deny it. Which the Council did.

Here's the response I received when I inquired today:

"No, County Council did not grant Richland 2's request for a millage increase. Like all of our millage agencies, they received a no mill increase. A no mill increase simply says if the value of the mill increases and additional revenue is generated therefrom, said agencies may receive those funds later in the fiscal year. Further, a no mill increase does not raise taxes at all."

Be sure to thank the Richland Councll Council.

Board Officers for 2022-2023

Should only fully-qualified members of the school board serve as Officers?

Board Officers will be elected at the second regular meeting in June, which will be June 28. 

The fully-qualified board members eligible for nomination are Agostini, Scott, McFadden, Manning, and Caution-Parker.

"So-called" board members not eligible for nomination are Holmes and McKie.

Why not?

Holmes and McKie have never taken the oath-of-office legally. After their election on November 6, 2018, they did take an oath on November 13. However, that was a full three weeks before they first became eligible to take it.

Holmes and McKie became eligible to take the oath-of-office legally on December 4, 2018, when they filed their Statement of Economic Interests Reports with the S.C. Ethics Commission. Neither has ever legally taken the oath-of-office.

At the June 29, 2021, I asked the board during Public Participation to nominate and elect only fully-qualified board members.

What happened?

As soon as nominations opened later n the meeting, Manning immediately nominated Holmes. The Core Four elected her.

Look what the District got. Chaos. Disrespect. Cat fights. 

If you believe that Holmes and McKie should not be nominated as officers for the next school year, email and call board members now.

This year will be especially interesting, because the November 2022 election is very likely to upset the board. If an officer is not re-elected, then the board will have to choose a new officer in November. This year the school board could end up with 2-3-4 new members.

Here's a section of law that the school board has not followed: S.C. Code of Laws Section 59-19-70. This board is really good about not following State laws.

SECTION 59-19-70. Chairman and clerk of board.

The trustees shall, as soon as practicable after the appointment of any new trustee, organize by the election of one of their members as chairman and another as clerk of the board. The chairman shall preside at meetings of the board and perform other duties imposed on him under the law, and the clerk shall keep a record of the proceedings of all meetings in a book provided for that purpose and perform all other duties required of him by law.

After Lashonda McFadden joined the board in November 2020, shouldn't there have been an election of the Chair and the Secretary (clerk)?