Jefferson City Schools keeps total tax levy at 4.7593; board to amend budget after $4 million revenue gain

Jefferson City Schools on Sept. 1 voted to set the district's operating tax rate at 3.8565 and its debt service rate at 0.9028, preserving a total levy of 4.7593 for the coming year.

Sherry LePage, the district presenter, told the board the Prop C rollback used in the calculation has fallen to 0.3266, down from last year's 0.3577, reflecting a slowdown in sales-tax growth. "This seems reasonable as sales tax revenues have slowed," LePage said while walking board members through the state auditor's Form C and recent reassessments.

LePage said the district's voter-approved operating levy ceiling is 4.2142; because assessed valuation increased the calculated ceiling dropped to 4.1831, but the smaller Prop C reduction meant the net operating levy remained 3.8565 — the same as the prior year. She also noted that the district voluntarily has held the debt service levy at 0.9028 since a 2017 Proposition J voter approval that added 0.65 to the levy.

"So, basically, I would need a motion to approve the operating tax rate of 3.8565, the debt service tax rate of 0.9028 for a total overall tax rate of 4.7593," LePage said, calling for board action. The board voiced "Aye" and the moderator announced the motion passed.

LePage told the board that growth from reassessment and new construction is expected to increase total levy revenues for 2026 by approximately $4,000,000; staff had budgeted for about $500,000. She said the district will return to a future board meeting to amend the budget to account for the additional revenue. LePage also said she would deliver the required local tax forms to Cole County and Callaway County the same day.

The board also approved routine consent-agenda items and moved into a closed session later in the meeting. No individual vote tallies or roll-call counts were recorded in the public transcript of the votes described during the meeting.