Liberty School Board sets 2025–26 tax rate at $5.5375

The Liberty Public Schools Board of Education voted unanimously Thursday to set the district's 2025'26 combined property tax levy at $5.5375 per $100 of assessed valuation.

Cindy Sullivan, the district's business services representative, told the board the district completed the state auditor's pro forma using assessed valuation figures provided by the Clay County assessor and that the district must file its tax rate with the county clerk by Oct. 1.

Sullivan said Liberty Public Schools' assessed valuation increased 13.98 percent based on the county assessor's data. Because state law limits taxing entities' ability to raise revenue to the lesser of the assessed-value increase, the consumer price index or 5 percent, the district's allowable revenue increase was capped at the CPI figure of 2.9 percent this year, Sullivan said.

The board president opened a public tax-rate hearing earlier in the meeting and offered citizens an opportunity to speak; no patrons addressed the board. Sullivan summarized the posting and notice requirements she said the district followed, and described the pro forma'driven calculation that yields the tax-rate ceiling.

Board members then moved and seconded a motion to set the 2025'26 tax rate at $5.5375. The roll-call vote was recorded as: Nick, yes; Jen, yes; AJ, yes; Drew, yes; Angie, yes; Karen, yes.

Sullivan noted the adopted rate is below the district's voter-approved maximum and reminded the board that state-level property-tax changes, including the senior property tax credit and pending legislative discussion, could affect future local revenues and rate decisions.

The district will submit the adopted rate to the Clay County clerk by the Oct. 1 statutory deadline, Sullivan said.

(At the meeting: the board opened a tax-rate hearing, received the business-services presentation and then voted to set the 2025'26 tax rate at $5.5375.)