School District Levy Set to Drop 1.93 Percent Next Year

The Edina School Board approved a preliminary tax levy this week for the 2013-14 school year, which represents a decrease of 1.93 percent compared to current collections.

The proposed 2012 levy comes in at $39,026,535, a decrease of more than $775,000 from 2011 collections. Last year saw a levy increase of 14.71 percent, largely due to the pair of successful referendums on November ballots.

Director of Business Services Margo Bauck said the levy will be discussed in more detail at the School Board's December meeting, including details in terms of the tax impact for school district residents.

The final figure could actually decrease between now and then, with the preliminary levy indicating the highest possible collection for Edina Public Schools.

Board Member Cathy Cella said the district typically approves the maximum at this stage in the budgeting process, as "from here on our we can go down, but we can't go back up."

"This is the most fiscally prudent way to do it at this point in time," Cella said. "The 2 percent decrease would be the minimum that it would be, because we can only reduce the levy, not increase it from here."

Board members approved the preliminary levy on a 6-0 vote. 

The district reports school district levies around the state are averaging a 2.4 percent increase this year.

The proposed levy includes a number of changes:

• First year of the ten-year alternative facilities plan
• Bond refinancing (approved last year)
• Bond payoff/retirement
• Enrollment growth
• Prior year adjustments for enrollment growth, abatements and cooperative leases

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