Greenwood sets referendum meeting dates

The Greenwood Board of Education has set dates for three public informational meetings that will precede its next revenue cap exemption referendum on April 7. The district will ask voters that day to approve $4.65 million in additional local property taxes over what the state revenue cap allows, all for the purpose of maintaining current staffing/programs.

The Board has set the following dates when it will present information regarding the referendum and potential property tax impacts: -- Feb. 25 at 7 p.m. at the high school.

-- March 5 at 6:30 p.m. at the elementary school.

-- March 11 at 6:30 p.m. at the Willard Community Center.

The Board decided in January to take a new referendum to voters this spring as its current 5-year cap exemption will expire after the 2020-21 year. The question to be put before voters on April 7 will ask voters if they agree to authorize the addition of $150,000 to the final year of the current $750,000 cap exemption and then to authorize the following amounts: -- $1,050,000 for the 2021-22 year -- $1,100,000 for the 2022-23 year -- $1,150,000 for the 2023-24 year -- $1,200,000 for the 2024-25 year The district’s financial consultant has forecasted that the district can ask voters for the additional taxes without an increase in the tax rate -- the amount assessed per $1,000 of property value. That is due, in part, to overall rising property values in the district.

Prior to the last referendum passed by voters in 2016, the district’s tax rate was $13.07. At that time, the district paid off the last of its debt for its high school addition, so the tax rate fell even with passage of the referendum. The tax rate this year is $11.05, and the district is estimating it will remain stable or even fall slightly with passage of the April 7 referendum.