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Rapid City Area Schools board warns state-aid pause and levy changes will squeeze capital and general-fund resources
Summary
Board members and staff told the Rapid City Area Schools Board of Education that although district property valuation rose about 5.6% for taxes payable 2026, legislative reductions to classification levies and capital outlay formula limits mean general-fund local effort will be nearly flat while capital outlay growth is constrained by a growth-plus-3% rule and a $3-per-$1,000 ceiling.
Board members and administrators said rising property values don’t automatically translate into more money for district operations or facilities at a Dec. board meeting.
Board presenter Ward, speaking as part of a scheduled budget series, said the district’s total assessed valuation increased about 5.62% for taxes payable 2026, pushing the district’s total valuation to just over $14.45 billion. But he said legislative reductions to classification levies — particularly owner-occupied and commercial classifications — and formula limits mean local general-fund effort will be nearly unchanged from last year.
"Local effort to the general fund is really gonna be flat year over year, a very minimal increase of…
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