School Budget Levy Explained
How many of us can truly say we understand how our property tax rates rise or fall? Typically, we receive a notice in the mail of what our taxes will be each year, and we breathe a sigh of relief if they stay the same, grimace if they go up a bit, and complain if they go up considerably. Here’s some good news…the property tax levy for the Superior School District is set to go down for the 2014-2015 budgetary year!
The decrease is not dramatic, only 13¢ per thousand dollars of assessed value, but a reduction nonetheless. For the less mathematically inclined of you out there in Explore Superiorland, this amounts to a $13 reduction in property tax for each $100K in home value. Not a pile of cash, but at least for this year the pendulum swung in favor of the tax payers.
Superior Middle School Computer Lab
No one likes paying taxes, however we thought it might be interesting to learn how this process works. Who better to talk to than Janna Stevens, District Administrator of Superior Schools? She explained to us that, “the State of Wisconsin informs the school district each year what it will receive in state funding by October 15th.” She went on to say that the state then advises the district how much it is allowed to collect from local taxpayers from the “levy.”
The district’s budget for the 2014-2015 is $48.8 million, $32.9 million of which will be funneled into the Superior school district from the state and federal governments. The balance, $14.8 million, is the amount paid by local tax payers via the levy. This number is mandated at the state level, and that is how your property tax rate is determined.
Stevens advised Explore Superior that this year’s budget from the state was increased by $427,027, which is a good thing, however, operating expenses for the district rise in much the same way that our personal expenses rise from year to year. The cost of doing business goes up through inflation, as do wages for school district employees, including teachers. The job of balancing the budget is that of the school district’s administrative team. Of course, then it is up to the School Board to approve that budget.
Superior Middle School Chess Players – perhaps an analogy to writing the budget?
While determining each year’s budget, Steven’s said that, “we analyze every individual line item to look for cost saving measures.” She also stated, “We know it will be tight this year, but are on track to stay in the black, and stay out of short-term borrowing.” School Board member Jonathan Asp believes that “the community can be assured of fiscal responsibility in our district, as we work toward providing quality education for our kids, value to our taxpayers, and competitive wages in order to retain good people in our schools.”
Both Stevens and Asp acknowledge there are upcoming financial challenges for the Superior School District, but are confident that our community is dedicated to providing a great educational experience for local students. What will be required is ongoing diligence by the district’s administrators, and oversight from the citizen members of the School Board.
Superior Middle School Orchestra
Explore Superior has learned of some of the challenges facing the district in facilities maintenance, and operational expenses, and will report on these issues in coming weeks. Our next report will be to explain how the new Spartan Sports Complex was paid for…you may be pleasantly surprised by the news!
