Kentucky School District Wants to Increase Tax Rate to Pay for State-Mandated Safety Improvements

Kentucky School District Wants to Increase Tax Rate to Pay for State-Mandated Safety Improvements

Kentucky law now requires schools to have certain safety measures in place such as cameras and electric locks. However, the state is not fully funding this initiative causing some school districts to consider raising taxes.

  • By Sherelle Black
  • September 04, 2019

School districts in Kentucky are now tasked with implementing state-mandated school safety improvements that are a part of Senate Bill 1.

The Bowling Green Daily News reported the Bowling Green Independent School District is concerned about how it will fund the safety improvements despite the state saying it will dedicate funds in next year’s budget.

To make sure the district has enough funding, the ISD wants board members to improve a tax rate increase.

The rate under consideration is 84.5 cents per $100 of real and personal property. The current rate is 82.8 cents per $100 of real and personal property. If approved, the rate is expected to generate $13 million.

SB 1, which was enacted in March, requires schools to have cameras and intercom systems, electronic locks and other safety enhancements that can be used during a school threat, according to the legislation.The bill states that schools must have this done no later than July 1, 2022.

The Courier Journal reported the bill was prompted by last year’s shooting at Marshall County High School in which two students were killed.

Although the bill addresses safety improvements, some legislators pointed out it does not address gun safety.

"Something we left out is some gun safety legislation," said Rep. Mary Lou Marzian, a Louisville Democrat. "I would love to see some gun safety legislation in the future."

Rep. George Brown, a Lexington Democrat, also commented on the matter.

"We have to do something to address guns that permeate our society," Brown said. "We are deaf, dumb and blind if we don't address that issue."

About the Author

Sherelle Black is a Content Editor for the Infrastructure Solutions Group at 1105 Media.

Featured

  • Eagle Eye Networks Launches AI Camera Gun Detection

    Eagle Eye Networks, a provider of cloud video surveillance, recently introduced Eagle Eye Gun Detection, a new layer of protection for schools and businesses that works with existing security cameras and infrastructure. Eagle Eye Networks is the first to build gun detection into its platform. Read Now

  • Beyond Containment: Redefining Cybersecurity and the Digital Campus at Washington College

    In the aftermath of a ransomware attack, Washington College stood at a crossroads — its legacy defined by centuries of academic excellence, but its digital infrastructure revealing the fragile underbelly of modern campus operations. Read Now

  • California School District Protects Campuses With Cloud-Managed Access Control

    Established in 1901 in the heart of Silicon Valley, the Mountain View Los Altos High School District (MVLA) serves 4,400 students across the cities of Mountain View, Los Altos, and Los Altos Hills. It houses two award-winning high school campuses commonly ranked in the top 1 percent nationally; it also hosts a continuation high school, an adult education campus, an alternative academy for arts and technology, and a nontraditional high school program held at an innovation center. Read Now

  • Right-Wing Activist Charlie Kirk Dies After Utah Valley University Shooting

    Charlie Kirk, a popular conservative activist and founder of Turning Point USA, died Wednesday after being shot during an on-campus event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. Read Now

Most   Popular