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Bullitt County superintendent recommends slight tax-rate reduction; proposes using added revenue for safety, HVAC and staff pay
Summary
District leaders told the board they will recommend a small reduction in property and personal property tax rates because assessment growth will produce more local revenue; they proposed using additional revenue for school safety upgrades, HVAC repairs, Chromebook leases and salary steps.
Bullitt County district leaders told the Board of Education they will recommend a modest reduction in the 2025–26 tax rate while still generating additional local revenue because rising property assessments increased the district’s tax base.
Finance staff said the recommended real-property and personal-property rate will be 75.7 cents per $100 of assessed value (down from 75.9 last year) and motor vehicle rate will remain 47.7 cents. The recommendation reflects assessment growth and the statutory constraints on the rate-setting process, the district said.
Why it matters: As local assessment values grow, Kentucky’s SEEK (Support Education Excellence in Kentucky) state funding formulas can reduce state aid to districts whose local wealth rises. District finance staff showed a long-term trend in which SEEK funding for the district fell from about $45.3 million (2015) to an expected $36.6 million in 2026, while locally assessed property values rose from roughly $5.9 billion to about $12.8–12.9 billion.
District priorities: Staff outlined how the additional projected local revenue would be used if the recommended rate is adopted: - School safety and life-safety audio upgrades and potential portable weapons-detection systems at high schools; - Educational enhancements including sustaining Chromebook leases and the preschool program; - Continuing step increases and district salary improvements to improve recruitment and retention; - HVAC replacements and high-school gym floor replacements (district estimates about $8 million in HVAC needs; two schools — L. J. and Cedar Grove — were cited as in most immediate need).
Budget projections: The district estimated the proposed 75.7 rate could generate an estimated $10.8 million in potential revenue (with $1.7 million of that anticipated to go to the building fund), but also forecast a realistic additional revenue estimate of about $6.7 million after collection adjustments and projected shortfalls. Staff said sheriff’s office collection costs are projected at about $235,000 and that the district conservatively budgeted assessment changes earlier in the budget cycle.
Discussion: Board members praised the finance team for conservative budgeting and said the recommended rate and planned uses struck a balance between lowering rates and addressing capital and safety needs. One board member said the district’s relatively strong financial position compares favorably with other Kentucky districts that have borrowed to purchase buses or fund HVAC repairs.
Next steps: The district presented the recommendation; board discussion occurred and staff said the formal working budget would be adopted in September and the final tax rates will follow required public-notice procedures.
