Falls Taxpayers Overwhelmingly OK $37.9 Million School Tax Levy

You could almost hear crickets chirping Monday in the auditorium when the floor was open for taxpayers to comment on the 2011-12 school district property tax levy.

School Board President Kathy Shurilla called for comments three times, but no one had anything to say.

Perhaps it had something to do with seeing the district's levy falling for the first time since the 2005-06 school year. Taxpayers overwhelmingly approved a $37.9 million tax levy, which is 3.3 percent lower than last year’s $39.2 million levy.

The district's tax rate is projected to be $11.07 per $1,000 of assessed value, or about $2,767 on the tax bill of an owner of a $250,000 home. That’s about $24 lower than last year.

The School Board has seen its share of controversy this year after approving a , which was met with stiff opposition the night it was approved in May. However, on Monday, only two residents out of the nearly 100 in attendance voted against the levy.

The budget will not be final until the district's levy is officially certified in November.

Administrators balanced the budget in per-pupil revenues, roughly a $3.3 million drop in funding. The total per pupil revenue equated to $10,855, which is near 2007-08 levels.

General fund revenues, which include state and federal funding, fell by 8.4 percent to $46.8 million.

To match the decrease in funding, the district tightened its belt and reduced overall general fund expenditures by 4.87 percent, from $44.2 million to $42 million.

The district will save $1.2 million by switching from health providers from the WEA Trust plan to Humana. The employee contribution toward retirement opened $1.3 million in savings as well. The district also expects to reduce its energy and gas usage by 38 percent.

By adding 46 seats through open enrollment, the district will generate about $300,000 in additional revenue. It also stashed away $400,000 from the Federal Education Jobs Act fund.

The district also shed three administrative positions district wide, seven full-time equivalent education assistants and 16 FTE in the teaching staff. Overall, salaries and wages payable fell $300,000 from $28.1 million to $27.8 million.