Heights proposing minor decrease in its mill levy

Jackson Heights district patrons are looking at a minor decrease in their district’s mill levy for the 2015-16 school year, but due to an increase in the district’s property valuation, it will still generate more in revenue for the district, according to a proposed budget for the upcoming school year.

A hearing on the budget is scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday, Aug. 10 at the Jackson Heights High School library. The hearing will precede the regular board meeting, during which the board will likely take action on the budget.

For the 2014-15 school year, the district levied 53.347 mills on an assessed valuation of $18,157,050, according to the budget notice, which is printed on Page 12 of today’s Holton Recorder. The proposed budget for 2015-16 has the levy dipping to 53.181 on an assessed valuation of $19,484,816.

District Superintendent Adrianne Walsh noted, however, that the overall actual valuation for 2014-15 was less than originally expected, due to the district’s oil valuation being $93,220 less than expected and the tax exemption on the Hornet’s Nest facility in Netawaka, which is part of the Jackson Heights service area, lowered the valuation another $97,628. As a result, the actual 2014-15 tax levy increased by 0.232 mills, Walsh said.

According to the proposed budget, the district will collect $999,417 in local taxes on the 2015-16 levy, compared with $932,965 on the 2014-15 levy.

For 2015-16, the district is looking at a maximum budget authority of $8,561,200, while in 2014-15, the budget authority was $6,080,316. However, Walsh pointed out that the increase does not mean the district is getting any “new money.”

“My general fund looks like it is gaining around $900,000, but that is not true,” she said. “Under the block grant, KPERS and Special Education aid, which is flow-through money that we pay out immediately, is going into the general fund, which has never been done before.”

The district will also have $4,300,000 in total outstanding indebtedness for 2015-16, down from $4,495,000 in indebtedness in 2014-15, it was reported.

For more information, call the district office at 364-2194.