Caledonia Argus

School board sets levy amount

Posted: 10/15/02

by Andrew Miller
Argus News Reporter

On October 8, after months of discussion, the ISD #299 school board decided that it will ask voters for $818,000 in the December 17 levy referendum.

For taxpayers, ISD #299 Superintendent Jim Tool stated, the operating levy has several distinct advantages over the health and safety levy, which will be levied only if the operating levy referendum fails. With the operating levy, the tax is not assessed against agricultural land. Someone owning agricultural land would only be assessed for the house, garage, and one acre. With the health and safety levy, the tax is assessed on all taxable property in the school district, including agricultural land.

Also, Tool pointed out, taxpayers would only pay about 54% of the operating levy, and the state foots the remainder of the bill. With the health and safety levy, the state pays 10% and taxpayers pay 90%. If the operating levy is approved by voters, taxpayers pay $438,000 of the $818,000 total. If the operating levy fails, the school board would impose the health and safety levy of $643,000 and taxpayers would pay $577,497.

At the October 8 meeting, the board reached a consensus as to the figure of $818,000 after taking into account both what amount is needed by the district and what amount taxpayers would support. The maximum amount that the school board could levy is $837 per pupil unit. At $818,000, the operating levy set by the board averages out to roughly $720 per pupil unit.

Tool suggested that the board set an amount less than the $837 per pupil unit maximum, noting, ìI think psychologically it looks bad.î

Board member Charlie Wray concurred, stating that ìIf you ask for this ($837 ppu), youíre telling the community to give us everything youíve got.î

Though the board voted unanimously to set the operating levy at $818,000, board members recognized that the amount would not entirely solve all of the districtís financial problems, but it would be a substantial step in that direction. Board member Barb Hurley commented, ìWe have to make clear to taxpayers that with this ($720 per pupil unit) it wonít be clear sailing, it wonít clear up all the debt problems.î

The board has yet to decide whether the duration of the levy will be five or ten years. Initially, Tool had recommended it be set for ten years, since all available data indicated that ìwith the referendum it doesnít make a difference with voters whether itís five or ten years.î

Tool is now suggesting that the school board set the duration of the levy at five years. Focus group studies conducted by the ISD #299 Referendum Steering Committee revealed that taxpayers would be more inclined to ratify a five-year levy than a ten-year levy.

ìThe focus groups felt strongly that it should be five years,î Tool said. ìSo now weíre looking at five years.î

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