The bad new is that inflation is real, so the school levy is going up at Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City. The good news is that it won’t be going up much: less than 3.2%, which is below the actual rate of both inflation and the value of property within the district. So many property owners won’t see much — if any — effect on their school taxes.
Inflation is a major factor behind a 7.9% increase in the general fund levy this year, but that has been partially offset by reductions of .24% and 14%, respectfully, in the debt service and community education fund levies for the coming year, according to figures distributed last week to the ACGC School Board by Business Manager Blake Stoltman. Most of the debt service is related to a voter-approved bond sale back in 2020.
The figures also reveal that, since the value of new construction and higher property values in the district rose by about $40 million overall, the school tax rate will decline slightly, from 22.2% to 21.6%, even after accounting for the proposed 3.2% increase. Stoltman cautioned that some property owners could experience some tax increase, if the value of their property increased significantly from 2021 to 2022.
ACGC has a healthy general fund balance and the state of Minnesota is picking up a slightly greater portion of costs incurred by school districts, so that allowed the ACGC district to keep its overall levy lower than it could have been due to higher costs for fuel, salaries and supplies. As occurred last year, the board again decided to “deficit spend” to bring down the reserves that it tries to maintain for cash flow purposes. Recent major renovations to the district’s campus infrastructure will likely reduce the board’s exposure to unexpected facility maintenance issues. In addition, student enrollment appears to have stabilized at ACGC, which allows the district to budget its expenditures more realistically.
Stoltman told the board that a more thorough report and analysis of the district’s financial condition is expected in January, once the district’s auditors complete their annual evaluations, which were conducted this past month.
The projected lack of any major impact of the ACGC district’s levy on next year’s property taxes may have been behind the lack of public comment or questions at the district’s annual Truth in Taxation hearing, which was attended only by current and recently elected school officials. A reorganizational meeting for the board, at which newly elected officials will be seated, will be conducted at 7 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 11. The next regular meeting of the board will be 6 a.m. Jan. 23.
Among other business, the board:
- Heard from four student council representatives about workshops they had attended to help them improve the school environment. If something negative takes place during a sport event or other activity, “we should be the one taking action, the one to say something,” they told the board. A larger, statewide event for student council members will take place in January.
- Established an evaluation process and set one goal for the district’s new superintendent John Regan.
- Heard from building principals that student attendance rates remain higher this year, at 95% for the elementary school and 93% for the high school/middle school. The schools have sponsored a full slate of winter holiday concerts and sporting activities this fall.
- In personnel matters, hired long-term substitute teacher Debra Olson to fill a maternity leave and accepted the resignation of paraeducator and health aide Lisa Naber. A few coaching changes were made. The board also discussed progress in arranging for custodial service.
- Continued progress in revising several school board policies to reflect local priorities and input.
