Schools mull budgets
Jefferson-Morgan’s school board approved a tax increase for the district’s 2017-18 school year.
The board approved at its June 19 meeting a property tax increase of 0.97 mills for the coming school year, meaning a person with a property assessed at $50,000 will pay an additional $48.50 per year. The total budget is $14.1 million and the tax rate will be 28.08 mills.
“The millage increase did not exceed the inflationary index,” said Joseph Orr, who will take over as superintendent in July.
He said the board decided to raise taxes because the district isn’t bringing in enough state or local revenue.
“We’re in the same boat as everyone else,” he said. “We’re all experiencing lower revenues.”
Both Southeastern Greene and West Greene districts approved budgets for the year with lower revenue and lower expenditures, but neither raised taxes.
West Greene’s $16.75 million budget for next year was approved June 22 by the school board, down from $16.8 million last year, according to the district business manager, Jessica Bissett. The millage will remain at 19.96.
Southeastern Greene approved its budget June 19, keeping the property tax rate at 23 mills. The budget was set at $11.37 million, up from last year’s $10.88 million. Southeastern Greene business manager Patrick Sweeney said that increase is “exclusively due to retirement contributions,” which are mandated by the state.
Carmichaels Area and Central Greene school boards are expected to approve final budgets at their Thursday night meetings. Central Greene’s proposed budget includes a tax increase of 0.8491 mills.