The Republican Central Committee of St. Louis County recently voted unanimously to endorse and financially assist the No Accountability, No on A committee that is opposing the Mehlville School District’s Proposition A, a 97-cent tax-rate increase that voters will consider Tuesday, Feb. 7.

The Republican Central Committee also is urging south county residents to vote no on Proposition A, according to a news release.

If Proposition A is approved by voters, the district’s operational tax rate would increase to a “blended” rate of $4.27 per $100 of assessed valuation — roughly a 29.4 percent increase over the current blended rate.

Committee members voted Jan. 10 after hearing a presentation from Aaron Hilmer, treasurer of No Accountability, No on A, the release stated, regarding his committee’s opposition of Proposition A.

Furthermore, Republican Central Committee members also agreed with Hilmer to take a more active role in local issues, including tax-rate increases and board races.

“The committee will look to more aggressively assert our principles of less taxation, smaller government, and to demand accountability from elected officials,” the release stated.

Committee members are not opposed to public education, according to the release, but “don’t feel that an almost 30 percent tax increase is the answer. This becomes more evident when we consider the most recent tax increase given to Mehlville schools. Voters in November 2000 approved Proposition P, a 49-cent tax increase that was to fund $68.4 million in building improvements; to this date they have spent over $89.1 million.”

A final budget revision approved last month by the Mehlville Board of Education raises the Proposition P budget to $89,137,440 — a roughly 30.3 percent increase — more than $20.7 million over the nearly $68.4 million building improvement program envisioned in 2000.

Oakville Township Republican Club members recently voted “overwhelmingly” to approve a motion stating the organization will not endorse Mehlville’s Proposition A.