Batavia School District’s tax rate to go up
In the face of a projected $5 million operating deficit next year, Batavia School Board members on Tuesday voted to increase the school district’s tax rate.
But officials said homeowners shouldn’t see an increase in their taxes because of declining property values.
School board members voted 5-1 to approve a resolution that will increase the district’s current tax rate of $4.69 per $100 of assessed valuation to an amount not to exceed $5 per $100 of assessed valuation.
School officials said they expect the new tax rate to be $4.84 per $100 of assessed valuation.
The move will give the district $1.7 million more in bond and interest payments. The board is also looking at potentially making $2.5 million in cuts in next year’s budget.
The new fiscal year starts July 1.
“We are trying to work toward a balanced operating budget, but we can’t do it overnight,” school board member Matthew Winkle said.
The school board had agreed to keep the district’s tax rate at $4.69 per $100 of assessed valuation as part of the community’s support in 2007 of a $75 million bond project to fund the expansion of Batavia High School and fund other school construction projects.
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