Edgar referendum tax impact is detailed

Edgar School District voters on Tuesday, Feb. 18, will decide a recurring $650,000 referendum for operations.

If approved, the referendum will be phased in over three years. In 2020-21, the Edgar Board of Education will increase taxes by $150,000. That will be followed by $250,0000 school tax hikes in both 2021-22 and 2022-23.

The tax impact of the referendum can be described two ways.

Compared to current taxes, an approved referendum will increase taxes by these amounts on these homes over the three year phase-in:

_ A $100,000 home, $41.

_ A $150,000 home, $61.50.

_ A $200,000 home, $82.

A failed referendum, however, will save taxpayers these amounts over current taxes for same same three properties over three years:

_ A $100,000 home, $130.

_ A $150,000 home, $200.

_ A $200,000, $260.

An approved referendum will increase school taxes, but the district mil rate will remain under $11.00 per thousand dollars of property value. The district mil rate with an approved referendum is projected to be $10.75 in 2021, $10.99 in 2022 and $10.89 in 2023.

A failed referendum would push Edgar School District into a major budget deficit. The school district would have a $92,000 deficit in 2020-21 that would increase to $496,000 by 2022-23.

The referendum is needed due to declining enrollment and a shrinking revenue cap.

In 2009-10, Edgar Public Schools had 646 students. It is projected the school enrollment will fall to 519 in the 2022-23 school year.

The school district, to date, has trimmed staff and reduced classroom supplies to balance budgets. The cut staff include a technology education teacher, a business education teacher, three elementary school teachers and a half-time art teacher The Edgar Board of Education voted to go to referendum at its Dec. 4, 2019, regular meeting.