Daviess County Public Schools will likely keep its property tax rate unchanged for the new fiscal year. Though a 0.2 cents addition for exonerations had been proposed recently, some members of the Board of Education on Tuesday expressed a desire to not institute the change.
The Fiscal Year 2020 property tax rate was 71.5 cents per $100 assessed value for real and personal property. It produced a revenue of roughly $38.6 million.
A proposal included adding 0.2 cents for exonerations for a total of 71.7 cents, though the actual tax rate would have remained unchanged according to DCPS director of finance Sara Harley. She said the addition would have produced an estimated $40.9 million.
Harley said exonerations occur in such instances as when homeowners contest what their house is valued at in order to lower their tax rate.
Board member Todd Anderson said he opposed the addition for multiple reasons, including that DCPS shouldn’t be asking for more money from the community during a time of hardship.
“I just don’t think it’s a good time right now because of the economy to put an extra 0.2 cents on our taxpayers,” Anderson said.
He also noted that the tentative budget approved in May included leaving the property tax rate at 71.5 cents.
Fellow Board member Frank Riney echoed those thoughts, and Board Chair Tom Payne noted the proposed budget did not include additions to the property tax rate.
Superintendent Matt Robbins said he believes the Board will vote Thursday to move forward without the addition based on the discussion Tuesday.
“In hearing what Mr. Anderson had to say today and somewhat the general tenor of the board, it sounds like they want to roll back the idea of the 0.2-cent increase to keep everything flat and level with last year,” he said. “It sounds like that’s the direction that they’re going to want to go. We’re in good shape to be able to make that happen.”
Harley also said she expects the Board to approve leaving the rate at 71.5 cents. She said even without the 0.2-cent addition for exoneration, DCPS expects revenue to increase from last year because of new property.
A public hearing will be held at 4:15 p.m. Thursday at Daviess County High School to hear public comments about the property tax rate. A regular Board meeting will follow at 4:30 p.m.
