McCook Schools' property tax levy drop 3 cents for next year

McCOOK, Neb. — The property tax levy for the McCook School District will go down by 3.26% in 2022-23, although the property tax request for next year will increase.

The McCook Board of Education got its first look at the 2022-23 budget Monday night at the regular meeting, as presented by McCook Schools Business Manager Jeff Gross at a public hearing.

The McCook School District’s property tax levy for 2022-23 is set at $1.075944 per $100 of valuation, a decrease of three cents from last year’s levy of 1.112157. This includes the levies for the General fund, Bond Fund and Special Building fund.

McCook Public Schools is asking for $9.25 million in property taxes for 2022-23, a 3.94% increase from the $8.90 million property tax request last year. Property valuations have increased by 7.37%. The school district receives property taxes from Red Willow County, as well as from portions of Hitchcock, Frontier and Hays counties.

From property taxes, the General Fund will get $8.35 million; the Bond Fund (voter-approved bond in 2004 for a $5.3 million bond to upgrade McCook Elementary, formerly Northward Elementary ) $410,000 and Special Building Fund (construction/renovation), $400,000.

Property taxes make up 45% of revenue sources for the school district. Other revenue comes from State aid, 30%, other local receipts, 9%, federal funds, 8% and other state receipts, 8%, according to the 2022-23 budget. State aid is expected to decrease next year by 1.71%, or $77,889, Gross said, from $6.09 million in 2022 to $5.98 million in 2023. The decrease is due to lost student enrollment during the pandemic.

Expenditures for staff grew by 4.17% for 2022-23, with $17.4 million in 2021-22 and $18.21 million budgeted for 2022-23. Increases to staff can’t be avoided, Gross said, based on union negotiations with the teacher’s union and accompanying pay raises for administration and classified staff. It’s become hard to find paraprofessionals, janitors and maintenance employees, he said, as well as teachers, and an increase in wages makes sure those positions are competitive. The budget includes wage increases for administration by 4.35%, certified (teachers), 4.35%, classified, 4.92% and substitute teachers, 12%.

Because the school district’s budget has increased by 3.79%, more than the 2.74% allowed in the Property Tax Request Act, a representative of the school district will present the budget at a special meeting conducted by Red Willow County on Monday, Sept. 19, 6 p.m., at the junior high conference room. Postcards will be sent to school district patrons, notifying them of the meeting.

After that meeting, the board will meet for a special meeting Tuesday, Sept. 20, to approve the budget and the property tax request.

Commenting on the budget, board member Tom Bredvick noted that 85% of the budget is people (staff), so there aren’t a lot of places to trim. In addition, some expenses are unavoidable. “You can’t cut the gas bill,” he said, adding that the finance committee took a hard look at the budget, debating whether to round up figures for a cushion in the budget and instead decided “to sharpen the pencil.”