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School board opens enrollment; district places 6-mill renewal on May ballot, officials warn of county-enforced 20-mill floor
Summary
School board changes discussed at the Brooklyn City Council meeting: the school board voted to allow open enrollment and approved placing a 6-mill renewal levy on the May ballot; council liaison explained the county's 20-mill floor and the district's potential $740,000 annual loss if the renewal fails.
At the Jan. 13 Brooklyn City Council meeting, the council’s school board liaison reported actions taken by the Brooklyn City Schools board and explained tax implications for residents.
The school board voted unanimously on Dec. 17 to modify its residency policy to allow open enrollment at Brooklyn City Schools. The board also passed a resolution to renew a 6-mill tax levy; the renewal will appear on the May ballot.
Councilman Matt Mosley, serving as the council’s school board liaison, explained that state law and county practice include a 20-mill floor that the county enforces. He told the council that because property valuations rose in 2024, the district’s effective millage could fall below that 20-mill floor; if the renewal fails, the county would still enforce the 20-mill floor, and the district could lose approximately $740,000 annually in revenue from Class 2 (commercial/industrial) property taxes.
Nut graf: The school board’s open-enrollment policy will allow nonresident students to attend Brooklyn City Schools under the district’s policy change. The renewal levy is a revenue-preservation measure; council liaison remarks emphasized that a failure of the renewal could produce a significant revenue shortfall for the district because of the county’s enforcement of a 20-mill minimum.
Background
The liaison noted that tax classes are divided into class 1 (residential) and class 2 (commercial/industrial) under state practice; the 6-mill renewal is designed so homeowners would see almost no change if it passes because of the 20-mill floor. If it fails, the district could lose an estimated $740,000 annually in class 2 contributions, according to the liaison’s summary of the school board discussion. The renewal will be on the May ballot. The liaison also congratulated the newly elected school board president, Ms. Kroll, after the school board’s Jan. 7 organizational meeting.
Ending: Council members said the district and public will likely discuss the levy more as the May ballot approaches and encouraged residents to contact school board members or the superintendent with questions.
