Parkway board votes 7-0 to reset voluntary tax-rate rollback ahead of 2026 calculation

The Parkway School District Board of Education voted unanimously Feb. 18 to reverse voluntary rollbacks on its operating tax levy so those rollback amounts will be included in the district’s 2026 tax-rate calculation. The motion carried 7-0 after a presentation from district staff.

District staff member Carrie Nunn told the board the district has a voluntary rollback in place for the residential rate that was set for the 2024 tax year and cannot be removed until a non-assessment year. "So 2026 is a non assessment year," Nunn said, and she proposed resetting the residential rollback so it would be considered in the 2026 calculation. She stated the current rollback is "1.534¢."

The motion put before the board asked members to reverse "their voluntary rollback on the operating levy for the Parkway School District," including "any and all voluntary rollbacks from the residential, commercial, personal property and or the agricultural tax levies," language read into the record by the chair. A board member moved the measure and the board recorded seven "yes" votes by roll call: Debbie Hopper, (Kilper), Matt Franklin, Schindler, Seltzer, Spector and Todd; the motion carried 7-0.

Board members did not detail changes to the district’s spending plan at the meeting; the motion's stated purpose was to allow "flexibility in our use of funds and to otherwise meet our operating revenue goals," according to the motion language. The action will affect how the district calculates its operating levy during the 2026 tax-rate process; the meeting transcript does not specify downstream budget allocations or an effective date beyond inclusion in the 2026 calculation.

Next steps identified at the meeting: the rollback reset will be part of staff calculations for the 2026 tax-rate process. No additional motions, amendments or public hearings on the rollback were recorded in the Feb. 18 meeting minutes presented at the board meeting.

Actions at a glance: motion to reverse voluntary rollbacks — approved by roll call, 7-0.