LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The clock is ticking on a JCPS tax hike, as volunteers now race to collect enough signatures that would allow voters to decide in November.
"It seems like nobody is speaking out for the taxpayers, so somebody had to do it," said Theresa Camoriano of the Louisville Tea Party, who is leading the charge against a JCPS tax hike.
A proposal to increase property taxes by 7 cents per $100 of assessed value was passed by the board on Thursday, but the proposal will be on the ballot in November only if the opposition collects enough signatures.
Volunteers hope to reach at least 40,000 signatures, so they created a website with an online petition to collect names during the pandemic.
Theresa Camoriano.
"If you had to go door to door, today you couldn't do it," said Camoriano, "but fortunately, the legislature changed the law not long ago to allow electronic petitions."
The group takes issue with the district's spending and busing. The JCPS transportation budget, which includes 1,000 bus drivers and other vehicle costs, is around $90 million, which is just under 5% of the district's overall budget.
But Superintendent Marty Pollio said even without busing, the district could not meet its facility needs.
"For those that say that we need to stop busing and we would have the money that we would need, at our current state of facilities, it is an impossibility to do that," he said.
Pollio said 6,000 middle and high schoolers from West Louisville don't have a choice on where they go to school. In addition, he said, there aren't enough schools in the West End to house those students in the first place.
"We need two new middle schools in West Louisville, and we need at least a new high school in West Louisville," Pollio said. "Simply put, the cost of that right there alone is in the neighborhood of $130 million dollars."
Volunteers against the tax have until July 10 to collect at least 35,000 certified signatures, which would put the tax hike before voters in November. Otherwise, the tax hike automatically takes effect.
"It's a David and Goliath," said Camoriano. "But we are the people, and in the end, the people have the voice. So I hope the people will speak."
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