As Beaufort considers raising taxes, data show the county has been on a spending spree for schools | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Beaufort County is confronting a financial crisis much like what both the state and federal governments are facing, even if the numbers are not as large. The issue comes down to the question: Do we reduce spending or do we raise taxes?

    The municipalities in the county face similar circumstances.

    But the focus of this question, we predict, will center on the school system. The reason this is so is simple: The County, like the state, spends more on schools than it does on any other single function of government. Thus, if tax increases are to be avoided, significant reductions in school spending will be required.

    With that backdrop we think the most useful way to look at the data is to look at the recent trends in spending, primarily from the perspective of asking whether increases can be sustained during this recession.

    But the School Board is asking to increase spending rather than reduce spending.

    Monday night at joint meeting between the Commissioners and School Board the Beaufort County Manager released information at the request of County Commissioner Hood Richardson on the spending trends in recent years.

    You can review the information by clicking here. Here's a summary of the data:

    • In FY 2010 the schools system spent $61,593,667. That was a $8,988,613 increase since 2005 or a 17%        increase.

    • During this time the number of students in Beaufort County Schools decreased from 7231 to 7010, a        decrease of 121 studenst or a decrease of 17%.

    • On a per student basis the spending went from $7377 in 2005 to $8787 in 2010, a 19% increase.

    • In addition, the County spent $33 million in bond funds that are not included in the numbers above.

    • At the local level, county spending went from $10,148,103 in 2005 to $16,643,941 in 2011, an increase        of $6,495,838, or a 64% increase in what Beaufort County taxpayers paid.

    • Few counties increased their spending for schools anywhere near what Beaufort did over the last six        years. Beaufort ranked 23 out of 100 counties in 2011 in current expense and 13th in capital outlay on a        per pupil basis.

    Publisher's note: We do appreciate this most cogent opinion from our friends at the Beaufort Observer.