Beaufort Board: Hike property tax or close schools

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (AP) — The Beaufort County Board of Education says it will consider closing schools if the county council won’t approve a property tax increase.

The Island Packet of Hilton Head reported Tuesday the education board has voted to begin to take steps to close at least one or more schools starting in the 2012 school year.

Board member Wayne Carbiener says the board faces cutting major programs, increasing class size and laying off teachers because they have squeezed all the money out of the budget they can.

The board says it still needs the county council to raise taxes by three percent on vacation homes and commercial and personal property. State law exempts primary residences from property taxes to fund school operations.

Information from: The Island Packet, http://www.islandpacket.com

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press.  All rights reserved.)