Despite a significant growth in property values over the past year, officials with Oxford Area Community Schools are still concerned about making ends meet with the property taxes levied each year.
Assistant Superintendent Ron Franey reported during the June 8 school board budget hearing that property values for both homestead and non-homestead in the Oxford School district (including portions of Dryden, Hadley, Metamora, Addison, Brandon and Oxford townships) have grown over the past year by 6.98 percent.
‘That’s good growth, that’s real good growth for us,? Franey told board members. ‘We normally only project three percent when we look out, so this is very good for us.?
Franey reported that the total taxable value for non-homestead properties in the district for 2004-2005 is $262,159,442. Last year’s value was $250,622,254.
The school district is allowed to levy up to 18 mills against this year’s amount. Due to the Headlee rollback, board members voted unanimously to levy the full amount allowable at 15.6451 mills, or $4,101,511.
‘Headlee has a dramatic affect on us,? said Franey in regards to what he called the district’s ‘yearly loss in funding.?
Franey told board members that the district would be receiving $4,718,870 if the board could levy the full 18 mills. He figured the difference between the Headlee rollback amount and the 18 mills figure to be $617,359.
‘We lose that amount,? he informed board members.
Franey also explained to board members that when the state is considering the district’s yearly per student foundation grant, the process assumes the district is levying the full 18 mills. Because of this, Franey stated the state ‘does not make up the difference when 18 mills are not being levied.?
After approving the tax levy, board members expressed their concerns for the future.
‘It’s getting more and more difficult and challenging,? said Board Secretary Judy Kubina, ‘and we’re being very creative to make these dollars spend the way we do.?
‘I think that we as a board need to go into a serious conversation about Headlee,? concluded Colleen Schultz.
Board President Patti Smith emphasized the need to communicate with the public about this issue: ‘I think that we need to educate the voters on the effect of this. We are looking at some very, very difficult years ahead.?
In addition, the board of education voted unanimously to set the debt levy, or those funds for paying back bonds, at 7 mills for all homestead and non-homestead property owners.