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Educators crowd county meeting
Show their support for nearly $1M in raises
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Teachers packed the Warren County Commission courtroom to standing-room-only capacity Monday night in support of a pay raise.The teachers attended the county’s Education Committee meeting in support of Director of Schools Bobby Cox’s request for a 2 percent pay increase for all school system employees. The increase will mean approximately $800 to $900 per year, per teacher which would require nearly $1 million in recurring funding.Education Committee chairman Terry Bell told Cox he believes the school system has the $1 million in its budget to fund the raises without coming to the county and asking for a 16-cent property tax increase to fund it.Bell said, “I think you have money in your fund balance to give people their $1 million raise. You could have given it two years ago, according to what I’m seeing.”“You know I would love to, but I don’t see it,” said Cox.Bell called the school system budget confusing and suggested it was done that way so the Board of Education could stockpile money the county doesn’t know about.“You will have a figure on here like $3 million, but it comes in at $5 or $6 million every year,” said Bell.