By Helen Wilbers
The last time the North Callaway R-I school district proposed and passed an increase to the operating tax levy ceiling was a 30 cent increase in 2003.
On Aug. 8, district voters will have the chance to vote on Proposition 1, which would increase that operating tax levy ceiling to an estimated $3.88 per $100 from the current maximum $3.13 per $100.
“We … developed a budget based on what we thought we needed for our students,” Superintendent Bryan Thomsen said during a Thursday evening public meeting about the proposition.
Multiple, complicated factors play into the school board’s decision to introduce the proposition.
For one, Thomsen explained that state funding has been unreliable in recent years. For example, the state transportation budget has dropped from $252,189 in the 2oo7-08 school year to just $103,000 in the 2016-17 school year. The district has been feeling the pinch — decreased state funding factored into the choice to switch to a four-day week for the 2017-18 school year.
“We’ve been decreasing expenditures,” Thomsen said. “A lot of teachers buy things for their own kids with their own money.”
Speaking of teachers, their base salary hasn’t increased in nearly a decade, Thomsen said. The base rate for Columbia teachers is $35,000, but in North Callaway it’s just $29,500. Thomsen said he thinks that’s hurting the district’s ability to attract and hang on to good teachers.
“Next year we’re expecting an increase in property valuation (in the district),” Thomsen said.
However, the kind of money the district needs won’t come from just this year’s increases in property assessments in Callaway County, Thomsen believes. The reason: The district is limited on how much additional money per year they can get from increased property values.
Due to the Handcock Amendment, the district can only receive 2.1 percent more money per year from property assessment changes. That means that the district would have to adjust its levy downward to avoid getting too much money.
The proposed increase in the ceiling, as a levy increase passed by voters, isn’t subject to the Handcock Amendment.
“I think it’s important for our taxpayers to know, ‘If I vote for this, how much is it going to cost me?’” Thomsen said.
The district has posted a chart with examples of how the levy would increase for various types of property if the proposition passed. It can be viewed here, along with other meeting documents: nc.k12.mo.us/home/public-notice.
For example, someone owning a residence appraised at $100,000 would see their levy increase by $142.50 per year.