DARLINGTON - Darlington School District taxpayers can look forward to an estimated $1 decrease in their school tax rate next year.
The 2012-13 school tax rate is estimated to be about $10.24 per $1,000 of property value. The owner of a $150,000 house can expect to pay $1,536 in local school taxes. The owner of a $200,000 would pay $2,048.
If realized, the 2012-13 tax rate would be the lowest since 2007-08, when the district tax levy rate was $9.94 per thousand. Taxpayers paid $11.21 per thousand last year.
Final equity property values for the school district are not in yet. However, county, town and city equity values are in, and two townships that are part of the school district, Wiota and Willow Springs, as well as the City of Darlington, show value losses of up to $5 million combined. Those losses could affect the school tax rate. The school board will finalize the tax levy once the state sets the final formulas and rates, which should come sometime in October.
The school district equity value for 2011-12 was $282 million.
The district this year is expected to levy nearly $3 million in property taxes, down $198,000, or 6.26 percent, from $3.2 million the previous year. The district levied $3.4 million for 2010-11.
On Aug. 27, the Darlington School District approved a 2.03 percent decrease in its total budget for the 2012-13 school year. Total expenditures for 2012-13 are $10.6 million, about $219,000 lower than $10.82 million last year. The school district will use interfund transfers to lower those expenses by almost $550,000 in 2012-13, as it did last year.
Of the taxes to be levied, the general fund takes up $2.4 million, down 8.35 percent, or $217,000 from last year. The referendum debt service, $552,800, will take $19,500 more this year, up 3.65 percent from $533,400 last year. The community fund remains steady at $25,000.
The district is estimating about $5.4 million in state aid, up 5.62 percent, or about $288,000 more than last year.
No programs or services were discontinued. The Project Lead the Way program will become available next year, with elective classes in math, science and language arts for both middle and high school students. The school will be receiving a grant for three years to support the program.
The 2012-13 school tax rate is estimated to be about $10.24 per $1,000 of property value. The owner of a $150,000 house can expect to pay $1,536 in local school taxes. The owner of a $200,000 would pay $2,048.
If realized, the 2012-13 tax rate would be the lowest since 2007-08, when the district tax levy rate was $9.94 per thousand. Taxpayers paid $11.21 per thousand last year.
Final equity property values for the school district are not in yet. However, county, town and city equity values are in, and two townships that are part of the school district, Wiota and Willow Springs, as well as the City of Darlington, show value losses of up to $5 million combined. Those losses could affect the school tax rate. The school board will finalize the tax levy once the state sets the final formulas and rates, which should come sometime in October.
The school district equity value for 2011-12 was $282 million.
The district this year is expected to levy nearly $3 million in property taxes, down $198,000, or 6.26 percent, from $3.2 million the previous year. The district levied $3.4 million for 2010-11.
On Aug. 27, the Darlington School District approved a 2.03 percent decrease in its total budget for the 2012-13 school year. Total expenditures for 2012-13 are $10.6 million, about $219,000 lower than $10.82 million last year. The school district will use interfund transfers to lower those expenses by almost $550,000 in 2012-13, as it did last year.
Of the taxes to be levied, the general fund takes up $2.4 million, down 8.35 percent, or $217,000 from last year. The referendum debt service, $552,800, will take $19,500 more this year, up 3.65 percent from $533,400 last year. The community fund remains steady at $25,000.
The district is estimating about $5.4 million in state aid, up 5.62 percent, or about $288,000 more than last year.
No programs or services were discontinued. The Project Lead the Way program will become available next year, with elective classes in math, science and language arts for both middle and high school students. The school will be receiving a grant for three years to support the program.