School Board president fires back at tax opposition

St. Mary Parish School Board President Kenneth Alfred ripped Parish President David Hanagriff and the St. Mary Industrial Group for what he said were falsehoods they were airing publicly in opposition of the school board’s sales tax proposition to give pay raises to school teachers and support staff.
He was critical of Hanagriff for statements he has made at every parish council meeting since the beginning of February in opposing the tax, while Alfred also took issue with SMIG, which has paid for advertising space in The Daily Review voicing its opposition of the tax.
Alfred said SMIG has cited predicted jobs lost, hours cut and salaries trimmed as well as businesses shuttering doors and financial hardships stacking up.
“All because of a 45 cents per $100 tax increase?” Alfred asked, saying that “sounds … farfetched to him.”
He called SMIG’s list “politically motivated with no facts” to support the claims.
Alfred said an unnamed key member of SMIG reached out to him when the original tax included a 0.05% technology fee and told him if the technology portion of the tax was dropped, SMIG could support it.
“We did that,” he said. “Now we’re getting negative newspaper articles full of generalities, not facts, and the same person is instrumental in the negative ads. The only thing that I can surmise is that these people are what I call ‘CAVE people,’ Citizens Against Virtually Everything.”
The proposition is the first the board has asked the public for since 1988, Alfred said.
Alfred noted if approved, it would only add 45 cents in tax to each $100 spent. In turn, teachers would receive a $3,000 annual salary increase, while support personnel would benefit with a $1,500 per year salary increase.
“The school system in any parish is a major economic factor, used to attract businesses and citizens,” Alfred said. “This is what people question first: the quality of the school system.”
He said that even with the passage of the tax, St. Mary Parish’s sales tax rate would be more than half a percent less than neighboring parishes that they compete with for teachers.
“Only six parishes in Louisiana allocate less of their total taxes to their local school systems,” he said.
Superintendent Teresa Bagwell, who devoted her entire monthly report to the sales tax, said fewer college graduates are entering education careers, and of those who are, nearly half are exiting in their first five years. That means school systems are vying for the same pool of educators, she said.
“The future of St. Mary Parish is sitting in our classrooms, and they demand guidance and support of a caring, competent and efficacious teacher,” Bagwell said.
Despite low support in sales tax and the pandemic’s challenges, St. Mary has thrived and is ranked No. 17 in the state among school districts, Alfred said.
Much of the board president’s criticism was directed at Hanagriff.
He questioned the parish president’s support of the school support staff, Hanagriff’s allegations that the school district hasn’t managed its money properly and asked when exactly would be the right time for a tax increase.
“When oil was over $100 a barrel, no one came to us and said ‘this is the right time,’” Alfred said. “All of the businesses in our parish were benefitting from this, but not the School Board.”
Alfred said although the price of oil is $65, Hanagriff thinks it’s still not the right time.
“It seems as if it’s never the right time when it comes to supporting our teachers as we should,” Alfred said.
Now, however, Alfred said is the right time, and he encouraged the public to vote for the tax, which he noted does not benefit the school board members.
While Alfred said Hanagriff has recognized his support of teachers, even though he opposes the sales tax proposition, he asked about support staff.
“Mr. President, what about custodians, cafeteria workers, secretaries, bus drivers and other support staff?” Alfred asked. “You never mentioned them. How would you like to make a custodian or cafeteria workers’ salary and receive a $1,500 raise? This would increase the morale of our parish to great heights.”
In response to Hanagriff’s allegation that the board hasn’t managed its money properly, Alfred noted that in order “to enhance the financial obligations” the board has to St. Mary Parish, it closed two schools in recent years.
“Do you know that we have cut many teaching and support positions each year as our enrollment has dropped?” Alfred asked. “Do you know that we will lose $2.6 million from the Minimum Foundation Program this year, and in the future?
“Mr. President, you should be a good leader,” Alfred added. “Good leaders do not make statements publicly based on hearsay. You have. I have not seen you or any member of your organization attend our budget workshops or hearings. Yet you make negative statements based on assumptions. That is terrible leadership.”
Bagwell noted that they have had one increase in their Minimum Foundation Program funding in the last decade. The program is the school system’s primary source of revenue. So in addition to relying more on local revenue sources, they have had to eliminate expenses and work within means.
She said they have balanced a budget annually, but it is becoming harder each year, and now there is an unfunded legislative mandate they must contend with, too.
“The year 2020 and now 2021 has acted to separate the men from the boys in public education as many systems struggle to return,” she said. “Additionally, the costs of educating kids has remarkably grown as school systems faced an almost overnight transition to virtual learning and then highly sanitized and socially spaced classrooms.”
Bagwell noted that school personnel returned to school in September and never have left.
“I’m very proud to say that we are one in only a limited number of districts in the state who can say that,” she said.
Early voting for the school board tax ends Saturday, and the general election will be held March 20.