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Berkeley County Schools presents first year of five‑year excess levy; residential bill would fall roughly $20 per $100,000 of assessed value
Summary
At its March 17 meeting the district’s finance presenter reviewed a proposed FY26 levy package that includes the first year of a five‑year excess levy, lists assessed‑value growth, and shows local shares that will remain with the school system.
Berkeley County Schools staff presented a proposed levy package for fiscal year 2026 at the board’s March 17 meeting, saying assessed values rose sharply and the first year of a planned five‑year excess levy would keep more revenue local.
Budget presenter Mr. Butts told the board the county’s assessed value is $9,177,278,737, an increase of $464,210,272 from the prior year, and that under the proposed rates the district’s current expense levy would raise about $41,759,900 while the first year of the excess levy would raise roughly $52,270,000.
The presentation matters because the district keeps only a local share of the regular levy while the excess levy revenue remains with the school system, increasing funds available to local schools. “The excess levy is $3,333,419, and that all stays local in Berkeley County,” Mr. Butts said.
District staff explained how state law affects the split between state and local shares: the state retains the bulk of the regular levy under the state aid formula, and the local share of the regular levy is therefore limited. Mr. Butts described the local impact of the proposed class rates: class‑2 residential rate would be $9.60 per $100 of assessed value and class‑3/class‑4 would be $19.20, down from last year’s rates of 11.64 and 23.28 respectively. He said that equates to about $96 per $100,000 of assessed value, down from roughly $116 under the prior rates — a decrease of about $20 on a $100,000 house.
Board members asked staff to confirm the items on the public notice and asked whether the levy figures include federal or TIF revenues; staff said the levy presentation covers local tax revenue only and that TIF revenues are not included in those numbers. Mr. Butts also noted the district’s bond levy will reflect one remaining bond payment after a May 2025 payoff: “This is the last year for one of our bonds,” he said.
The board was told the notice will be published in the legal newspaper as a class‑2 legal advertisement so the public can review the proposed rates. Staff indicated the board will reconvene on the topic at its scheduled April meeting if further action or adoption is required.
What’s next: staff will publish the legal notice and continue to brief the board as the levy process moves toward any required adoption steps.
