The Examiner U-46 News FeedSplit U-46 vote finalizes property tax levy hike By Seth Hancock
The Board of Education in School District U-46 took its final votes on the 2016 tax levy, and by a 4-2 vote the board approved a 1.9 percent increase at its meeting on Monday, Dec. 12.
The board previously approved the determination of tax levy and a resolution regarding the proposed levy by 5-2 votes with Phil Costello, Traci Ellis, Sue Kerr, Veronica Noland and Donna Smith all in favor of the levy increase. Costello was not in attendance for the Dec. 12 meeting when the certificate of tax levy and a separate resolution were approved.
Although asking for a 1.9 percent increase, district officials expect a 1.39 percent increase equating to a $3.6 million increase in property tax revenue.
Board members Cody Holt and Jeanette Ward have consistently voted against the tax levy increase and voted no on both resolutions on Dec. 12.
“I will be voting no on this as I voted no on the tax levy resolution before,” said Holt who previously said that U-46 has “some of the most overburdened taxpayers in this nation, and I just can’t continue to support any tax increase.”
Also approved that evening, with a unanimous 6-0 vote, was a resolution declaring the district’s intent to abate some of the tax levy increase. The district abated some funds back last year for the first time, and the stated goal of the abatement is to alleviate some of the burden of the tax increase.
“I’m very supportive of returning money to the taxpayers,” Holt said. “In the future though, I would feel more positive about making sure we freeze our property taxes for our residents.”
In explaining why she voted no on the certificate of tax levy resolutions, Ward noted the abatement process only alleviates tax increases on current property owners but future taxpayers will eventually see the increase.
“We are in fact increasing the tax levy extension in a permanent manner while we abate back money on a temporary basis,” said Ward. “That’s a bit disingenuous to the taxpayers because it preserves continuing tax increases. The levy also supports a budget that greatly expands operations for the Full Day Kindergarten program which I did not support.”
The abatement resolution will come before the board for a vote in February.
Also approved unanimously were $10.5 million in itemized bills as well as a $685,700 expenditure with K.R. Miller Contractors to provide maintenance work on elevators at Tefft Middle School and the DREAM Academy.
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