School Board meeting for new Hardin Valley High School
At 5:00 PM many people from West Knoxville will meet in the large assembly room of the City County building for a special meeting of the Knox County School Board.
The issue is whether to send the new Hardin Valley High School back to Knox County Commission so it can be fully funded. Parents are furious that the school is under-funded at a time when the Knox County Commission voted to spend 5 million dollars on a Business Park in Blount County to create jobs in Blount County when this school has sat in limbo for two years. Only Knox County Commissioner Scott Moore voted against the Blount County give away.
Today on WNOX radio Knox County Mayor Mike Ragsdale debated a local citizen Todd Townsend for 45 minutes on the Hallerin Hill radio program. In a “David versus Goliath” struggle the Mayor tried to make sense of his stubborn defense of the under-funded high school. The Mayor was adamant that the school must be built for 40 million dollars even if it can only be built for 1,300 students. While Goliath did walk away from the battle without a fatal wound he did take one in the shorts. The Governor’s mansion in Nashville looks very distant at this point for the County Mayor.
This County Mayor who has championed education as issue Number 1 had no viable reason for his stubborn refusal to fully fund the Hardin Valley High School. This may be the critical cross roads for this Mayor. The simple solution is to rescind the 5 million dollars to the Blount County Business Park and use that money to fully fund the Hardin Valley High School.
Years from now when the political history of Mayor Mike Ragsdale is written this will be the moment he will be remembered for. The wheel tax will be a distant memory. Story at 11:00.
August 2nd, 2006 at 11:14 pm
I’m wondering if they’re pricing it out to be faced in brick, like most schools I see are. There’s always quote bloat, I’m sure it’s in this project too.
August 2nd, 2006 at 11:45 pm
Remember when I said the next property tax increase was coming?
Here it is.
Mayor Mike Ragsdale has said we have gone without a property tax increase for eight years. You just knew this was coming.
Now you have the EXCUSE why.
Is this just another usual Knox County oops or was it hatched from day one to be the reason for a new property tax hike? You know, the first one in eight years.
August 8th, 2006 at 8:34 pm
mike is up to his same old tricks he thinks he can get a tax incress out of this he give 5 mil away and will raise the wheel tax and thinks this will make him look good now he may have some problem with a new commision make him accountable he chances of ever being gov are about as good as the zoo maan being mayor he needs to give it up move back to clevland