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Davebarry school cost do not account for 60% of all taxes. In 2004 60% of the taxes was allocated to schools. Take a look at your tax bill and you will find that 52.15% of your property tax bill is allocated to the school budget while 47.85% to the city budget.

The fact is that schools have been level funded for practically 7 years. In the last 10 years local tax dollars to support city spending has increased from $66.2 million to $102.4 million. That's $36.2 million more to the city. That's a 54.6% increase in. Schools have received $16 million more. City spending is at an all time high, school spending is below 2009 spending figures.

Soon the breakdown between the city and school will be 50/50. Schools have a plan to save money, the city will continue to require more and more funds and that will result in increasing property taxes each year. Most of that new money is paving for retired employee legacy costs.

The reason I point this out is that I am not disagreeing with you. Schools need to continue to consolidate and cut costs. However where is the call for the Mayor and the City Council to equally consolidate and cut spending. Property taxes have increased not because of school spending but because of city spending and it is onlt going to get worse.