In November 2005, the Albany community passed a parcel tax that contributes extra money to specific school needs. One of these needs is athletics. Each year, over $1 million comes into the school district, with $135,000 of that going to athletics. The positive effects of the parcel tax are already being felt in AHS sports and this funding will continue over the next seven years.
Five years ago, the school district cut funding from athletics. The district only paid for officials, coaches’ salaries, and safety equipment. Albany Athletic Director Debbie Wanlin explained that the school district allocates budgets for each team, according to how much is needed. For example, Wanlin stated that “the needs for the tennis team are much less than the football team, so the budget was less. The money is divided up fairly.”
The parcel tax is again paying for the buses and equipment that teams need, and allowing teams to hire more coaches. According to Wanlin there will be “another cross country coach, a track coach, golf coaches, and a wrestling assistant. Also, football received new uniforms, helmets, shoulder pads. Tennis received visors and jackets. Cross country, track, and wrestling are getting money for their tournaments. Basketball will put in their orders soon.”
The school’s athletic department has been in a massive fundraising mode over the last five years, but now it will not have to fundraise all of the money it needs.
Every July 1 for the next seven years (starting from July 1, 2006), the athletics fund will receive its share of the parcel tax. The money that is unused stays in the fund as well, as it is “not a ‘use it or lose it’ situation.” This money should help get the Albany sports teams in a better position to be successful, as well as put less strain on the teams to fundraise all of their money.
As Wanlin put it, “We want it so that teams shouldn’t have to spend their time fundraising.” It should also be noted that “this is the test year (for the parcel tax) — it will be difficult to budget and there are a lot of unknowns,” concluded Wanlin.
Hopefully, the parcel tax will help to enhance the performance of Albany High School athletics and to turn out to be as beneficial as it appears.
GO ARI AND ERIC!!!!!!
sweet lets go cougars!