School’s preliminary levy ‘good news’ for tax payers

The Red Wing School Board got its first look at the preliminary levy from the Minnesota Department of Education at Monday night’s board meeting.

Finance Director Brad Johnson said the 2012-13 levy, which is about 3.5 percent lower than the current levy, is “good news for property taxpayers.”

The proposed levy is for about $8.6 million, $300,000 less than the current levy of about $8.9 million. That drop mainly comes from a decreased debt levy, which went down about $1.2 million.

Still, there are areas of the levy that have increased. The ice arena levy is about $75,000 more than the current levy. That money will cover repair costs at Prairie Island Arena.

Health and safety insurance is up about $145,000, due to higher five-year average spending. Also, the lease levy will go up about $30,000 to cover higher leases for the Goodhue County Education District at Jefferson School and in Cannon Falls.

Johnson got the preliminary levy from the state at about 2 a.m. Saturday, he said. Normally, the district would have the proposed levy back by the first week of school, but the state shutdown delayed the process.

The board took no action on the proposed levy Monday night, but must vote to approve the levy at its Oct. 3 board meeting in order for the district to certify the levy to the county auditor by Oct. 7.

After that, the final levy, which must be adopted by Dec. 28, can be lowered, but not raised.

Tags: news, minnesota, education, money