ROANOKE RAPIDS — There are many layers to the issue of Halifax County public school consolidation — the merging of the existing three districts into one. However, one issue few have discussed until now is the issue of taxes.

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According to Roanoke Rapids Graded School District Superintendent Dr. Dennis Sawyer, the supplemental school tax in Roanoke Rapids — part of the real estate taxes for homeowners in the city — is 21 cents per 100 dollars of valuation. According to Matilda Campbell, finance officer for Weldon City Schools, the rate is 17 cents per 100 dollars of valuation.

In Halifax County, there is no supplemental school tax, according to the chairman of the Halifax County Board of Commissioners, James Pierce. Halifax County schools are funded through state funding, local taxes and federal money.

In the event of a merger of WCS, RRGSD and Halifax County Schools, which could only be accomplished by the state General Assembly, according to local understanding of the state statute — something all three districts agree on — the highest tax rate would then apply to the entire county.

“If it were a merger proposed by the commissioners,” Sawyer said, “the new system would have to adopt the highest tax rate among the three units. They would have to ensure the lowest funded unit would have to receive the same tax that’s in place within the system.”

This means citizens in Halifax County would pay 21 cents per 100 dollars, and citizens in Weldon would see their taxes rise from 17 cents per 100 dollars. 

“Our supplemental tax has been at that rate for quite some time,” stated Dr. Elie Bracy III, superintendent for Weldon City Schools. “It has not increased since I’ve been here.”

Campbell agrees with Bracy. She came aboard at Weldon City Schools 17 years ago, and the rate was 17 cents at that time.

The tax serves as additional funding for the two city systems, according to Sawyer. “It’s in addition to what is received from the commissioners and from the state and federal levels,” Sawyer stated.

These numbers are frequently cited by opponents of consolidation, but Pierce, a proponent of consolidation, believes there is no need to panic about rising taxes.

“If we were to consolidate the systems the statute says we would have to fund the consolidated system at the level of the highest system,” Pierce said. “But I don’t think that will be a problem anyway, because if we ever got to the point where we got a legislator to present it as a special bill, we could get that condition waived.”

Pierce explained schools could still be funded without the supplemental tax.  “If there is no Roanoke Rapids school district there would be need for that tax,” Pierce stated.

“Once the system goes away and we get that clause waived, city school taxes would go away. The same thing would happen in Weldon, as well.”