Posted: 9/18/02

Maximum tax levy coming for school

ISD 831 is making plans to put in place a maximum 2002 property tax levy for taxes to be collected in 2003.

The school board on Monday voted 7-0 to adopt the preliminary 2002 levy as recommended by the administration. A final decision on the tax levy wonít be made until December when mandated Truth in Taxation hearings are completed.

The preliminary levy of $10.9 million is likely to change, said Larry Martini, director of business affairs.

The changes, he said, will likely happen because of adjustments that will be necessary between September and December. The district is awaiting approval of health and safety projects by the state Department of Children, Families and Learning.

The proposed levy includes $5.7 million in general fund support which includes voter-approved operating levies.

The tax levy for existing debt service to support past voter-approved bond issues for building projects will total $4.5 million.

A property tax levy of $644,000 will be in place to support community education programs under the districtís Community Services program.

Although Martini couldnít say for sure where the final levy figure will come in, he said Monday it is possible the total could be near the $11.4 million mark the district levied in 2001 for taxes collected in 2002.

The levy for next yearís taxes marks the second year that taxes for direct school funding has been removed from the property base in the district.

The proposed levy for 2003 includes only voter-approved levies for operating and debt service plus areas like health and safety where voter-approval is not required. The state has assumed the bulk of the funding once applied against property in respective districts.

The 7-0 board vote found support from President Bill Bresin and members Jody Krebs, Joe Grafft, Dean Barr, Susan Novak, Rebecca Otto and Karen Morehead.

The vote on Monday was the first for Morehead who took the oath of office as the board-chosen replacement for Clyde Boyer who resigned his board seat on July 1. Boyer has moved to Florida because of a job transfer.

Morehead, a Forest Lake resident, has nearly eight prior years of board service. She was one of 10 candidates who applied for the position.

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