Good News for Loudoun Schools (Hampton: cost, roads, local)

[The Dissenter]

Originally Posted by tgbwc

"Greedy NoVA"? The LCI has been recalculated every 2 years for 40 years and it almost never, if EVER, benefits NoVA schools. Now, when a recalculation using the same rules that NoVA has agreed to play by for decades actually stands to benefit NoVA districts, they are "greedy"? You've got to be kidding me.

I'm definitely talking through my Hampton Roads bias, but I think this flat out SUCKS for my hometown. NoVA says our (Hampton Roads) schools suck, that we are just a bunch of stupid thugs, now NoVA gets more money (which it can easily raise from its tax base) while Hampton Roads which is already in a troubled financial situation gets the shaft. Reverse Robin Hood for sure. I think leaving my home state Virginia alone for at least couple of years is looking like a better idea by the day.

[tgbwc]

Originally Posted by Alanboy395

I'm definitely talking through my Hampton Roads bias, but I think this flat out SUCKS for my hometown. NoVA says our (Hampton Roads) schools suck, that we are just a bunch of stupid thugs, now NoVA gets more money (which it can easily raise from its tax base) while Hampton Roads which is already in a troubled financial situation gets the shaft. Reverse Robin Hood for sure. I think leaving my home state Virginia alone for at least couple of years is looking like a better idea by the day.

Ok, I'll try to explain this but I don't know if it will help or not.

About 40+ years ago, the Virginia Supreme Court said that the Virginia Constitution requires all children of Virginia to have a quality education. Thus, the “rich” areas needed to help the “poor” areas. To accomplish this re-distribution of wealth, the Local Composite Index (“LCI”) formula was developed to determine the share the state must pay to every local school district. The formula looks at relative wealth, requiring areas that are “wealthy” get less money from Richmond and areas that are “poor” get more. Since Fairfax is one of the wealthiest areas in the US, we receive about 24% of our school funding from Richmond, while other areas get up to 80%. When you run this formula, what you will find is that while Fairfax County pays 25% of all taxes and has 14% of the students, we receive only about 8% of the state education funds.

This formula is re-calculated every two years, and has lots of components, one of which is real estate values. Large drops in real estate values and some other factors caused the formula to change dramatically in Northern Virginia. Fairfax county, for the first time ever, benefitted from the recalculation. When the budget is re-calculated using the new LCI, Fairfax would go from having the state pay 24% of our basic education to the state paying 29%.

In his proposed budget, Governor Kaine delayed/froze implementation of the new LCI. By delaying the implementation of the LCI in this budget, Fairfax does not get any of the $61 million in additional state funds that the new LCI would direct to us.

For years, NoVa has been cut and cut by the LCI. They pleaded for changes to the LCI but Southern Virginia consistently refused to change it. Now, when the LCI on its own finally sends more money to our area, Governor Kaine decided not to use the LCI.

Recalcuating the LCI might "suck" for Hampton Roads, but it is fair. They can't play like a little kid and change the rules only when it favors them.

[michgc]

Originally Posted by tgbwc

Ok, I'll try to explain this but I don't know if it will help or not.

About 40+ years ago, the Virginia Supreme Court said that the Virginia Constitution requires all children of Virginia to have a quality education. Thus, the “rich” areas needed to help the “poor” areas. To accomplish this re-distribution of wealth, the Local Composite Index (“LCI”) formula was developed to determine the share the state must pay to every local school district. The formula looks at relative wealth, requiring areas that are “wealthy” get less money from Richmond and areas that are “poor” get more. Since Fairfax is one of the wealthiest areas in the US, we receive about 24% of our school funding from Richmond, while other areas get up to 80%. When you run this formula, what you will find is that while Fairfax County pays 25% of all taxes and has 14% of the students, we receive only about 8% of the state education funds.

This formula is re-calculated every two years, and has lots of components, one of which is real estate values. Large drops in real estate values and some other factors caused the formula to change dramatically in Northern Virginia. Fairfax county, for the first time ever, benefitted from the recalculation. When the budget is re-calculated using the new LCI, Fairfax would go from having the state pay 24% of our basic education to the state paying 29%.

In his proposed budget, Governor Kaine delayed/froze implementation of the new LCI. By delaying the implementation of the LCI in this budget, Fairfax does not get any of the $61 million in additional state funds that the new LCI would direct to us.

For years, NoVa has been cut and cut by the LCI. They pleaded for changes to the LCI but Southern Virginia consistently refused to change it. Now, when the LCI on its own finally sends more money to our area, Governor Kaine decided not to use the LCI.

Recalcuating the LCI might "suck" for Hampton Roads, but it is fair. They can't play like a little kid and change the rules only when it favors them.

Great post - I repped you. I agree that fair is fair. And the fact that NoVa is supporting the rest of the state in good times and in bad should not be overlooked.

[The Dissenter]

Originally Posted by tgbwc

Ok, I'll try to explain this but I don't know if it will help or not.

About 40+ years ago, the Virginia Supreme Court said that the Virginia Constitution requires all children of Virginia to have a quality education. Thus, the “rich” areas needed to help the “poor” areas. To accomplish this re-distribution of wealth, the Local Composite Index (“LCI”) formula was developed to determine the share the state must pay to every local school district. The formula looks at relative wealth, requiring areas that are “wealthy” get less money from Richmond and areas that are “poor” get more. Since Fairfax is one of the wealthiest areas in the US, we receive about 24% of our school funding from Richmond, while other areas get up to 80%. When you run this formula, what you will find is that while Fairfax County pays 25% of all taxes and has 14% of the students, we receive only about 8% of the state education funds.

This formula is re-calculated every two years, and has lots of components, one of which is real estate values. Large drops in real estate values and some other factors caused the formula to change dramatically in Northern Virginia. Fairfax county, for the first time ever, benefitted from the recalculation. When the budget is re-calculated using the new LCI, Fairfax would go from having the state pay 24% of our basic education to the state paying 29%.

In his proposed budget, Governor Kaine delayed/froze implementation of the new LCI. By delaying the implementation of the LCI in this budget, Fairfax does not get any of the $61 million in additional state funds that the new LCI would direct to us.

For years, NoVa has been cut and cut by the LCI. They pleaded for changes to the LCI but Southern Virginia consistently refused to change it. Now, when the LCI on its own finally sends more money to our area, Governor Kaine decided not to use the LCI.

Recalcuating the LCI might "suck" for Hampton Roads, but it is fair. They can't play like a little kid and change the rules only when it favors them.

I didn't even bother to read your explantion and I could care less about it. I think this is just (morally) wrong to kick a poor area in the groin to feed the fat cats in Northern Virginia. But I know ya'll in Northern Virginia don't care as long as you get the green like the selfish people I've found ya'll to be in the five years I've lived here. Well, ya'll will probably get your money at the expense of your less blessed folks down South, and will split the state even further apart. Let the I-95/I-64 civil war commence.

[JD984]

You're basically arguing a longstanding approach should be changed to redistribute even more of the taxes NoVa residents pay to your favorite part of the state. A "heads I win, tails you lose" approach to school funding strikes me as neither fair nor conservative.

tgbwc - thanks for the explanation.

[The Dissenter]

Originally Posted by JEB77

You're basically arguing a longstanding approach should be changed to redistribute even more of the taxes NoVa residents pay to your favorite part of the state. A "heads I win, tails you lose" approach to school funding strikes me as neither fair nor conservative.

tgbwc - thanks for the explanation.

I believe the Non-Hampton Roads part of Southern VA is getting the shaft by this deal as well. It may not be fair or conversative but I'm not gonna make apologies for caring about "Nor"folk, Virginia way more than I do for "Nor"thern Virginia.

[normie]

Originally Posted by Alanboy395

Well, ya'll will probably get your money at the expense of your less blessed folks down South, and will split the state even further apart. Let the I-95/I-64 civil war commence.

Splitting the state? I doubt Hampton Roads would secede for a reason like this. You don't walk away from a milk cow when you're the one who wants the milk every year. But, if they want to split away and be more self-supporting it's ok by me. That would be a very libertarian thing to do--actually, I'm kind of surprised to see you supporting a more socialist pov on this issue.

[Guamanians]

I didn't see where Hampton roads was getting the shaft? Am I missing something?

[tgbwc]

Originally Posted by Alanboy395

I didn't even bother to read your explantion and I could care less about it.

Enough said.

[tgbwc]

Originally Posted by JEB77

You're basically arguing a longstanding approach should be changed to redistribute even more of the taxes NoVa residents pay to your favorite part of the state. A "heads I win, tails you lose" approach to school funding strikes me as neither fair nor conservative.

tgbwc - thanks for the explanation.

Well said.

...and you're welcome.