New Rate Set for Taxpayers in Fox School District
The Fox Board of Education also discussed increased enrollment across the district and approved bus routes.
Taxpayers living in the Fox School District will be paying a few more dollars to support schools this year.
The total tax rate jumped by $0.0129 per $100 of assessed value. For a $150,000 home, the increase amounts to an extra $3.68 per year. The Fox Board of Education approved the tax increase during a meeting on Tuesday. The rate is retroactively effective July 1.
Last year, taxpayers paid $4.6044 per $100 in assessed value. It's $4.6173 this year.
The tax provides revenue for the district’s budget, which started at the beginning of the fiscal year on July 1. District officials project revenues of $842.6 million from the real estate and personal property taxes.
That number is lower than last year's collection of $844 million in tax revenues.
Most of the tax will fund the district's operating budget. Taxpayers will not be paying more to the debt service fund, just as they were promised during the district's successful campaign to extend a bond issue earlier this month, said district treasurer James Berblinger.
Other notes from the board meeting
- Enrollment: Enrollment has increased across of all of Fox schools, said Dan Baker, assistant superintendent of elementary education. Elementary enrollment is up by 16 students and high school enrollment is up by 166 students. Baker speculated that the state of the economy helped enrollment at the high school level because more families are moving into Jefferson County, which is more affordable for many families. As the economy rebounds and new homes are built in the Imperial area, Baker predicts that even more students will move into the southern end of the district.
- Bus Fleet and Routes: The district will keep the same insurance carrier for the bus fleet and approved the district’s bus routes. Superintendent Dr. Dianne Critchlow praised the transportation department for starting the school year off smoothly despite a “monsoon” of rain on the second day of school. District officials also said they would upgrade the buses' communication radios to digital before winter because the Federal Communications Commission plans to narrow the bandwidth available to analog systems by next year.
Tim Hodge
9:57 am on Thursday, August 30, 2012
I thought tax increases had to be voted in. Could someone please explain this procedure?
Ryan Martin
11:18 am on Thursday, August 30, 2012
Thank you for the question, Tim. Here's how I understand the tax levy process, based on my review of the Missouri Revised Statutes:
Political subdivisions (like school boards) may raise the tax rates by a certain amount, but to go above that certain amount would require approval by voters in that district. I don't know the specific numbers off hand, but I can put out some calls if you're interested in more information.
Ryan Martin
11:21 am on Thursday, August 30, 2012
By the way, if anyone is particularly interested in reading that part of the Missouri Revised Statutes, here's the link: http://www.moga.mo.gov/STATUTES/C137.HTM
It's not an easy or fun read, however!
daniel boyer
2:53 pm on Thursday, August 30, 2012
We should vote to make it illegal for any tax to be approved without the voters consent. This means that every year the tax rate can go up if the need is seen by the school board to raise it. Should make ALL tax increases by voter approval ONLY!!!!