South Carolina Bill Proposes Barring Districts from Charging Rent to Charter Schools

http://www.charleston.net/news/2008/jan/25/bill_would_bar_district_rent_charges_cha28626/

A bill proposed last week by state Rep. Chip Limehouse seeks to forbid South Carolina school districts from charging public charter schools rent for lease or use of a building owned by a school district. The Charleston Charter School for Math & Science has fought the local district about whether it should be charged rent for a district-owned building. Charging a charter school rent for space in district buildings is double taxation,said Limehouse. Parents pay taxes to send their children to public schools, and the school district would be charging rent for a building that's already been paid for. A recent survey of the state's 29 charter schools found that only six are in school-district-owned buildings. None of those schools pay rent, but many pay utility and maintenance costs that are associated with the use of the building. The proposed bill would not affect a school board's ability to charge charter schools for operational costs associated with use of a building, such as electricity, sewer and water bills. Scott Price, an attorney for the state School Boards Association, said school boards have statutory authority to run districts and make decisions on the use of its buildings.

Source: Charleston Post and Courier (registration required)
Date: 01/25/2008