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Board OK’s 13.6% tax levy hike |
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Wednesday, 19 December 2007 |
It’s now official. The ISD 831 School Board has adopted a 13.6 percent hike in the school share of property taxes that will be collected in 2008. The approval came last Thursday during the second of two scheduled public meetings to explain the tax plan for the coming year. The initial Truth-in-Taxation public hearing was on Dec. 4.
Cliff Buchan
News Editor
It’s now official. The ISD 831 School Board has adopted a 13.6 percent hike in the school share of property taxes that will be collected in 2008. The approval came last Thursday during the second of two scheduled public meetings to explain the tax plan for the coming year. The initial Truth-in-Taxation public hearing was on Dec. 4.
The Dec. 13th approval came on a 6-1 vote during a meeting that saw two district residents and one board member question the plan.
The action results in a school property tax levy $16.36 million or $1.96 million higher than the 2007 property tax levy of $14.4 million.
Some $1 million of the 2008 levy will pay for two years of the district’s share of the Q Comp pay-for-performance program with teachers. The new levy includes a back levy for the 2007-2008 school year that is now underway.
ISD 831 will receive $1.4 million in state aid in both years for its participation in the program that is designed to help teachers and improve student test results.
The questions
Forest Lake residents Ron Schaffer and Dick Tschida both questioned the tax plan with some blunt assessments.
Schaffer urged the board to hold any increase to the same increase that is given to those on Social Security. “Where will people come up with the money?” he asked.
He suggested that taxes in Forest Lake were too high. Schaffer said students in the Forest Lake district should not expect a “Cadillac” education. Those who do, he said, should “go to Edina.”
Tschida, a former school board member, said school boards, county boards and city council will face a tough time for 2009 budgets when property valuations are expected to take a hit because of the downturn in the housing market.
Based on his review of taxing districts, Tschida said a home with market value of $250,000 will see a total tax increase of $350 to $375.
“That’s pretty significant,” Tschida said. Taxpayers are stressed right now, he said.
He urged the district to carefully study the economy before setting tax limits.
Eric Langness was the one board member who voted against the new levy for 2008.
He first questioned an option of lowering the general levy but dropped the matter when Larry Martini, director of financial services, pointed out that the cut would be a double loss as the state would reduce funding by an equal amount of the local cut.
Langness then questioned if the district should consider reducing the dollars collected each year through voter-approved operating referendum which will bring in $6.48 million next year to support the general fund budget.
With no other takers for the Langness idea, the new levy was approved 6-1 with positive votes from President Bill Bresin and members Rob Rapheal, David Gay, Julie Corcoran, Dan Kieger and Joe Grafft.
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