Board approves preliminary levy at maximum for taxes payable in 2025

The Roseville Area School Board voted on Sept. 24 to approve the district's preliminary levy at the maximum amount authorized for taxes payable in 2025, the first step in the truth-in-taxation process.

Director Sherry Thompson presented the levy estimate and said district staff prepared conservative enrollment and revenue estimates for the 2025 budget. Thompson told the board the levy shows an overall decrease of about 1.2% relative to the prior year in preliminary figures but that final calculations could result in a small increase (she estimated the final change could end near 0% to +1%).

Thompson highlighted two adjustments that affect the calculations: an estimated positive adjustment of roughly $975,000 related to property-tax abatements that move through reconciliation processes, and a long-term facilities-maintenance timing adjustment of about $2,473,000. "The estimates we provided for this levy '... many of the adjustments are negative '... the long-term facilities maintenance adjustment is about $2,473,000," Thompson said.

Board members voted to approve the preliminary levy "at the maximum," a standard procedural approach that preserves flexibility before the district adopts a final levy in December and completes the truth-in-taxation hearing. The motion was moved and seconded and adopted by vocal affirmative vote; the transcript records a vocal "aye" call but does not provide a roll-call tally.

Thompson said that if county or statewide adjustments occur after this preliminary action, the board cannot increase the dollar amount later in the process and that staff therefore recommend authorizing the maximum now and finalizing a specific dollar figure in December.

The board's approval sets the levy ceiling for property-tax notices; the final levy and truth-in-taxation hearing are scheduled during board meetings in December.