Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Property Taxes topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
La Crescent-Hokah board certifies payable-2025 levy after Truth in Taxation hearing
Summary
At the district's Truth in Taxation hearing, staff outlined how state aid, property values and the AG School Credit affect local taxes; the board later certified the final payable‑2025 levy, noting a modest net levy decrease of about 3.3% before credits.
Julie opened the Truth in Taxation presentation, explaining that taxes certified in December 2024 (payable in calendar year 2025) will fund the 2025–26 school year. She summarized levy components — state general education formula, voter-approved referendums and debt levies — and described how county assessors determine market values that feed into the tax-capacity formulas used to set rates.
Julie said district funding remains heavily dependent on state formula aid, which provides roughly 70% of general fund revenue statewide and, for the district, constitutes the lion’s share of operating dollars. She showed a chart comparing current per‑pupil funding with an inflation-adjusted level and said La Crescent‑Hokah remains behind the inflation-adjusted target by roughly $1,364 per pupil unit for FY25. Julie noted the legislature has placed an automatic 2–3% inflationary increase for the basic formula into statute beginning in 2026, but cautioned that if local inflation exceeds that band the gap will persist.
The presentation described the AG School Credit (a permanent law enacted in 2007) that reduces taxes for qualifying agricultural and timber landowners; the credit scales to 70% in 2025 and is paid to districts through state aid rather than appearing on the district’s levy on the state website. Julie said taxpayers who qualify will see the credit on their tax statement (in the 4A field).
On the district’s proposed payable‑2025 levy and budget snapshot, Julie said the bottom line reflects a modest net reduction for taxpayers of about 3.3% before accounting for the AG School Credit. She said the FY24–25 budget had a planned deficit tied to an $885,000 construction project but that the general fund operating position was close to balanced after that planned spending.
At action time, the board considered action item D, final levy certification for payable 2025 property taxes. The motion to approve the final levy certification was moved by Nikki Miller and seconded by Greg; the board approved the certification by voice vote. Julie confirmed the board’s certification reflected the district’s maximum levy position without a voter referendum, consistent with prior practice.
The district provided contacts for taxpayers with questions: the Houston County auditor, Superintendent Melinda Crowley, and Julie after the meeting.
