Property tax is the primary source of funding for schools which is simply supplemented by local funds. This makes financing schools already difficult for the owner. Then, if a tax levy is passed, the property owner's tax rate increases, making the person most affected by the levies the local property owner. This is a controversial issue because local property owners do not want to be the only ones to fund the schools nor can they maintain the schools on their own. This will only lead to underfunding, lack of maintenance, and underpaid teachers, issues that were addressed in the DeRolph V. State lawsuit that declared supporting schools with property tax alone unconstitutional . Other cities use money from sales taxes and taxes paid by businesses to help pay for schools. However, in my hometown there are only a few businesses, and due to the size and makeup of the city, those businesses usually don't last more than a few years. This is a very isolated community and citizens tend to shop in other towns, where it might be cheaper, for the things they need, generating less revenue for the town and, thus therefore, less taxes for the school.