Total cost estimate.....

[imported_Counts]

Here is an OK site but a bit old

http://www.virginia.edu/coopercenter...0/sect1900.pdf

[ QUOTE ]
Severance Taxes Under §§58.1-3712 and 58.1-3712.1, any city or county may levy a license tax on persons engaged in severing coal, gases or oil from the earth. The maximum rate permitted for severing coal and gases is 1 percent of the gross receipts from sales, while the maximum rate permitted for severing oil is one-half of 1 percent from the sale of the severed oil. Cities or counties may impose an additional mineral license tax of 1 per-cent of the gross receipts from the sale of gases as authorized by §58.1-3713.4. The funds from this additional levy are paid into the general fund of the locali-ties except in the counties of Buchanan, Dickenson, Lee, Russell, Scott, Tazewell, and Wise and the City of Norton, where one-half of the revenues must be paid to the Virginia Coalfield Economic Devel-opment Fund. If localities enact these taxes, they cannot tax mineral lands under §58.1-3286.

[/ QUOTE ]

[swvacsas]

Severance tax money is part of the county general fund. The state does not keep it. A plan to renovate just three schools will not fly- politically it is as dead as consolidation. You can't get people in Appalachia, Pound and St. Paul to support it. It is however- the only possibility for any immediate consolidation that would have a remote chance of approval.

[swvacsas]

A legal right is not equivalent to a moral right. If government uses the resources and taxes of a communitiy- it should by moral right extend services they want and need to that community.

[imported_Counts]

This is the meat of the problem with coal severance tax

[ QUOTE ]
The funds from this additional levy are paid into the general fund of the localities except in the counties of Buchanan, Dickenson, Lee, Russell, Scott, Tazewell, and Wise and the City of Norton, where one-half of the revenues must be paid to the Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Fund.

[/ QUOTE ]

This would mean that Wise would have to drop out of the Coalfield Economic Development or the Pound/Appy area would have to become citys (Not sure what has to be done for that to happen) I guess a 3rd option would be to split the county into 2 or 3 new counties but I think that would require an act but the Virginia general assembly and I do not see them doing that.

So it comes down to Property Taxes currently Wise Co pays around 41 cents per $100 I was told by some that SHOULD know that the $109 Million proposal would bump that amount up to around 91 cents that means that a retired person with no extra income would go from paying $205 a year on there $50,000 peace of property up to $450 a year. Not how many of those folks are going to look at anything other than dollars and cents

[imported_Counts]

[ QUOTE ]
Severance tax money is part of the county general fund.

[/ QUOTE ]

Show me...

Here is a cut past of the what the law says and it is that Half the Money goes to Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Fund. and while the folks in Appy, Pound and St Paul may be anti consolidation IF this ever does come to a vote they are outnumbered by the rest of the County AND I would guess that a sizable block will vote with there wallet (for whatever is cheapest (Heck I will be the first one to say IF you can somehow make keeping all 6 schools open the cheapest option then that is what will happen)


[ QUOTE ]
Severance Taxes Under §§58.1-3712 and 58.1-3712.1, any city or county may levy a license tax on persons engaged in severing coal, gases or oil from the earth. The maximum rate permitted for severing coal and gases is 1 percent of the gross receipts from sales, while the maximum rate permitted for severing oil is one-half of 1 percent from the sale of the severed oil. Cities or counties may impose an additional mineral license tax of 1 per-cent of the gross receipts from the sale of gases as authorized by §58.1-3713.4. The funds from this additional levy are paid into the general fund of the locali-ties except in the counties of Buchanan, Dickenson, Lee, Russell, Scott, Tazewell, and Wise and the City of Norton, where one-half of the revenues must be paid to the Virginia Coalfield Economic Devel-opment Fund. If localities enact these taxes, they cannot tax mineral lands under §58.1-3286.

[/ QUOTE ]

Eventually you will see 2 schools... mark it down it is coming.

Right now they are just testing the waters... looking for support... they already know what they are going to do.

[plantsman]

Maybe Appy and Pound should check into the possibility of starting charter schools.

[imported_Counts]

Had not thought about that....what do you have to do to start one?

[plantsman]

[ QUOTE ]
Had not thought about that....what do you have to do to start one?

[/ QUOTE ]

I haven't studied up on it alot, but a link with some info is below.

http://www.uscharterschools.org/cs/r/view/uscs_sp/499