HCS approves budget with lower levy; tax asking will increase

Community Schools will see its levy decrease slightly next year but will also see a tax asking increase as approved by the HCS Board of Education this week.
    The board has approved a tax asking increase of $128,135 next year, mostly due to an increase in valuations, as the district lowers its overall levy to $11.69 per $1,000 taxable valuation from the current year’s $11.70.  Total taxes levied on property for the 2018-19 fiscal year will be $6,002,766, up from the current year’s $5,874,631.
    Taxable valuations used for calculating property taxes in the Harlan Community School District increased from the current year’s $528,198,600 to $531,866,659 next year, a hike of $3,668,059.  The increase is considerably below the eight-year average valuation increase or roughly $17 million.
    The board voted 6-0 to approve the budget (board members Lonnie Muxfeldt, Al Hazelton, Jessica Anderson, Joni Larsen, Kathy Mahlberg and Amy Rueschenberg aye; Monte Schechinger absent).
    Next year’s budget is based on a one percent allowable growth from the state that raises the state cost per pupil the district will receive to $6,771 from the current year’s $6,704, a $67 increase.  The district’s spending authority will raise by $200,000 in fiscal year 2019, and the district is anticipated to have a solvency ratio of from 11-12 percent, up from the current year’s nine percent.