CPS operated within its means was 1992. That was the last year that the property tax millage rate for RCPS was under 20 mills, which is the state of Georgia's maximum millage rate for schools. The rate in 1992 was 19.79. This past Thursday the RCPS school board voted 4-1 to raise the rate by another 1.51 mills. Last year they raised it by 1.99 mills. My question to Rockdale County property owners is did you get a pay raise last year or this year? How about senior citizens living on social security? I know they did not get a cost of living increase for two straight years. Should not the RCPS have to live within its means, just as you have to? Since 1993 the RCPS has been taxing you beyond what the state of Georgia considers a fair maximum millage rate for its citizens. If it is good enough for the state of Georgia, why is it not good enough for the second smallest county in Georgia? Maybe the goal of our RCPS school board is to have the highest millage rate in the entire state. Last year they were number two; with this latest increase they may have moved up to number one. Are we getting that much bang for the buck?

The argument of board member Brad Smith is that your property values are going down, so raising the school millage rate will be felt only slightly or not at all. What a sleight of hand way to rationalize a tax increase. Even if your property values do decline a bit, would not that saved money have been nice to help offset the cost of gas or the rapidly rising food prices?

But no, Mr. Smith has a better answer for you and your money.

I urge every taxpayer in Rockdale County to get involved with the school board and to question the uses of our tax dollars. Send them the message that they work for us and we are going to hold them accountable now and at election time.

Jim Roppo
Rockdale County