UPDATE: June 4 at 11:45 a.m.
Fayette County Public Schools Superintendent Demetrus Liggins released a response after Attorney General Russell Coleman said that the board's tax hike violated state law.
Liggins released the following statement:
In response to the Attorney General’s opinion regarding the May 27 vote on the occupational license tax, we respectfully but strongly disagree with the conclusions drawn, particularly because the opinion does not reference the relevant statute that governs this matter. Our legal counsel maintains that the opinion raises more questions than it resolves, and we believe there are reasonable differences in interpretation.
Liggins went on to say that the board remains committed to "honoring the spirit of the opinion," and he noted that public comments have been documented from their meeting on May 27.
"While others may be focused on political maneuvering, our focus remains squarely on student achievement and fulfilling our community’s expectation that we provide a world-class education to every child. We will continue working closely with the Fiscal Court and ensure that our efforts follow both the letter and spirit of the law, especially as we navigate this complex process that blends local and state policy," Liggins concluded.
Liggins added on Thursday, "The OLT resolution will be included on the June 23 board agenda. Additionally, there will be a public hearing to provide the community an additional opportunity to share feedback directly with the board."
UPDATE: June 4 at 10 a.m.
Following the news that the Fayette County Public Schools board approved an occupational tax increase, Attorney General Russell Coleman said that the board failed to provide public notice before the tax hike.
A release from Coleman read that the board "unlawfully" tried to raise taxes on Kentucky families and that the board "failed to meet the state statutory requirements to provide public notice" before the approval at the board's May 27 meeting.
Coleman noted that Senator Amanda Mays Bledsoe (R-Lexington) asked for Coleman's opinion after she heard from her constituents regarding the tax hike.
“Tax and spend government is a danger to Kentucky’s future, especially when officials who should be accountable to Fayette County voters try to ignore the rules to raise taxes,” said Attorney General Coleman. “If the Fayette County School Board members believe they need more of Kentuckians’ hard-earned dollars, they should clearly and publicly make their case before their own constituents.”
Sen. Bledsoe released the following statement:
"This validates what so many in our community, including myself, felt: Taxpayers were shut out of a huge decision about their own tax dollars. I’m calling on the Fiscal Court to take no action today and for the school board to remedy this misuse of its authority. The board should table any further discussion of a tax increase until trust can be restored."
She added that the transparency regarding public tax dollars isn't optional and the approval shows disrespect for taxpayers in Fayette County.
“I sincerely appreciate Attorney General Coleman’s prompt response. His engagement shows just how important it is that every level of government remains accountable to the people," Bledsoe added. "I hope this opinion gives the public some renewed confidence that their voices matter and that they have government officials looking out for them.”
Original Story:
Passion was fueled during a Fayette County Public Schools board meeting Tuesday night as members voted to approve a tax increase that is set to begin in January 2026.
"Emotions are extremely high in there," said Rachel Buser, a mother of three Fayette County Public School students. "This means a lot, to a lot of people."
Buser discovered on Friday that her children's school district was proposing to raise taxes for next year to address the expected deficit.
"It is pretty hypocritical to think that, you know, the school district is in a financial shortfall," Buser said. "So therefore we're going to lean on taxpayers who may be struggling right out of the gate anyway, when how much of a shortfall are we actually at?"
Even board members, who voted 3-2 on the tax increase, were divided on the issue.
"I feel like I can't do my job I was elected to do," said Board Member Dr. Monica Mundy, who claimed the proposal came as a surprise to her.
She said she only knew about it because a community organization informed her, while some of her colleagues maintained the plan had been in development for months.
"In the end looking at us as a board and saying 'Oh well this is our only option.' Well, this option could've came in February. We could've had public hearing, we could've had public forums, we could've had public input," Mundy said.
Buser agreed with Mundy's concerns about transparency.
"Member Mundy hit the nail on the head in some of her comments, talking about how, you know she needs to have trust in the administration, and how can she feel like she can have that trust when she was not notified about this until Friday," Buser said.
Despite objections, the board approved FCPS's over $848 million proposed budget, including the tax increase. According to the school district, this would cost residents an average of $13 more per month.
"Goes back to the trust. It goes back to the real concerns about the way our dollars are actually being spent," Buser said.
While parents and some board members feel their voices weren't heard, they hope for more accountability from school leadership in the future.
"And I believe we have a lot of really, really great and talented people here, but sometimes you just need to have a little bit of checks and balances," Buser said.
Under state law, the resolution must be processed by the Fayette Fiscal Court within 10 days of the board passing the resolution.
