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Jefferson City Schools keeps total tax rate unchanged at 4.7593; board approves levy rates
Summary
The Jefferson City Schools board approved an operating levy of 3.8565 and a debt service levy of 0.9028, keeping the district's total tax rate at 4.7593. Officials said assessed valuation growth and a smaller Prop C rollback roughly offset each other, producing an estimated $4 million revenue increase for fiscal 2026.
The Jefferson City Schools board approved the district's operating and debt service levies on a voice vote, keeping the total tax rate at 4.7593 for the coming year.
Sherry LePage, a district staff member, told the board that “the current calculation shows a rollback of 32.66¢, which is less than last year's 35.77¢” and said the lower rollback reflects slowing sales tax revenue growth. LePage said the voter-approved operating levy ceiling for JC Schools is 4.2142 and that assessed valuation increases reduced the calculated ceiling to 4.1831.
LePage explained how the figures interact: subtracting the Prop C rollback of 32.66¢ from the calculated operating ceiling of 4.1831 produces a calculated operating levy of 3.8565 — the same operating levy as the previous year. “So because we still have the Prop C rollback, our calculation and net results will look a little different than the other districts in Cole County because none of them have a Prop C rollback anymore,” LePage said.
On debt service, LePage said Form C from the State Auditor’s office was used to calculate the levy needed to cover bond payments. She noted that voters approved Proposition J in 2017, which increased the district's debt service levy by 65¢ to a total of 0.9028, and that the district has voluntarily held the levy at 0.9028 since then. The district's debt service calculation shows a rollback of 31¢ to maintain the levy at 0.9028.
LePage reported that the district's total tax rate for 2025 will remain 4.7593, unchanged from the prior year. Because assessed valuation and new construction grew, she said total levy revenues for fiscal 2026 are expected to increase by approximately $4,000,000; the district had budgeted for about $500,000 of growth and will consider a budget amendment at a later meeting to account for the additional revenue.
LePage said she would hand-deliver the required estimates of required local tax forms to both Cole County and Callaway County the same day. The board approved a motion to set the operating tax rate at 3.8565 and the debt service tax rate at 0.9028, for a total rate of 4.7593; the motion passed by voice vote with no opposing recorded votes.
