Lee Pulaski, lpulaski@wolfrivermedia.com
Shawano School District taxpayers could see a 1.74 percent decrease in their property taxes after voters approved a $12.89 million tax levy for the 2016-17 school year Monday.
Property owners paid $10.32 per $1,000 of equalized valuation for school taxes for the 2015-16 school year, but that will drop to $10.13 per $1,000 — or 1.72 percent — if property values remain the same.
That means a taxpayer with property valued at $100,000 would pay $1,013 in taxes this year, compared to $1,032 last year.
Louise Fischer, district business manager, told the 30-plus residents at Monday’s annual school district meeting that there are indications that property values within the district could go up this year. The state will release final equalized values in October.
Fischer said preliminary estimates show a 1.3 percent increase across the district, although it could vary in individual towns and the city of Shawano.
“We give (the budget) our best guess,” Fischer said. “Some things we know. Some things we don’t know.”
According to figures provided by Fischer’s office, a 1 percent hike in property values would drop the tax rate to $10.04, while a 2 percent hike would make the tax rate $9.94.
“The economy is coming back,” Fischer said.
An additional $800,000 in school aid from the state also will help lower the tax rate, according to Fischer. In 2015-16, the district received $13.47 million, but the district is expecting $14.34 million for this school year, although those figures — based on the official enrollment count taken in September — will also not be available until October.
The district also plans to decrease its spending by 1.72 percent. Fischer said there are no new programs planned, and no existing programs will be eliminated.
The total proposed expenditure budget is $27.5 million, with 34 percent coming from property taxes. State aid makes up 52 percent and the remainder comes from federal aid, fees, open enrollment and interest earnings.
“For Shawano, open enrollment is a money maker. For other districts, it’s a cost,” Fischer said. “Some districts have more kids leaving their district than coming in.”
No open enrollment numbers were available.
Voters at the annual meeting also approved a resolution to sell the district’s surplus loose furnishings and equipment.