We are about to undo what could have been an important change in the School Board’s relationship with our community. I asked for the change, and now I’m asking that it be reversed.

The St. John business community is an important part of our community at large.

Businesses pay the majority of the School Board’s taxes and businesses rely upon the school system to provide its customers and future employees.

But the business community has not had much of an opportunity to take part in the School Board decision-making process.

So at my request, two years ago the Board agreed to add two more seats to the Finance Committee — one for a representative of the Chamber of Commerce and one for the St. John Business Association.

As full voting members they would have an active part in overseeing the finances of the school system and, for the first time, have an insider’s view of how the School District works.

In spite of several personal requests over the past two years, neither seat has been filled.

Because the two empty seats have to be included in each roll call, it’s been difficult to have a full quorum to let the Committee do its business. So as a part of several changes in our Committee policy, I’ve asked the board to eliminate them from the Finance Committee.

The St. John School Board has an excellent record of improvement; a record of annual growth that’s more than 10 years long. We have the lowest property taxes in the River Parishes, and the lowest tax base, but through careful financial management we’ve been able to raise teachers’ salaries and hold a good bond rating (which saves hundreds of thousands of dollars in interest payments).

We even lowered property tax rates a few years ago. But our community, including its business leaders, apparently doesn’t realize how successful we’ve been. The School Board will soon ask voters to allow us to renew a tax another 10 years.

It will not increase taxes by even one penny but failing to renew it will have serious consequences.
Business support is vital. But for some reason neither the Chamber nor the Business Association wants to take part in helping guide the schools they pay taxes for. And I simply don’t understand that.

Russ Wise is a School Board member and finance committee chairman for St. John the Baptist Parish Public Schools. He can be reached at RWISE@stjohn.k12.la.us.